Supplement Your Faith with Virtue

In the realm where grace and peace reside,

Through knowledge of God, we confide.

Understanding deep, of His nature divine,

Leads to a life of grace, oh so fine.

God's power, a beacon, shining bright,

Grants all we need to walk in His light.

His promises, precious, a treasure untold,

Invites us in His divine nature to hold.

Faith in His power, a fortress strong,

In His promises, we find our song.

Faith is more than knowledge, it's true,

It's transformation, making us anew.

Strive we must, in faith to grow,

Goodness and knowledge in us to sow.

Self-control and perseverance, virtues pure,

Godliness, affection, love that's sure.

These virtues, not just to comprehend,

But to practice, to live, to defend.

Possessing these, increasing without end,

Keeps us fruitful, on Christ, we depend.

REFLECTION:

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

Grace and peace come through the knowledge of God and Jesus. A deeper understanding of God’s nature and Christ’s teachings can lead to a more peaceful and graceful life. 

God’s divine power grants us everything we need for a godly life. His great and precious promises given to us allow us to participate in the divine nature. 

We should have faith in God’s power and promises. Faith is not just about knowledge, but also about application and transformation. 

Let us strive to possess faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. These virtues are not just to be understood, but to be diligently developed and practiced in our lives. 

Possessing these qualities and increasing in them will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You for the grace and peace that comes through the knowledge of You and our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray for a deeper understanding of Your nature and Christ’s teachings, knowing that this leads to a more peaceful and graceful life.

We acknowledge Your divine power that grants us everything we need for a godly life. We are grateful for Your great and precious promises that allow us to participate in Your divine nature. We declare our faith in Your power and promises.

Help us understand that faith is not just about knowledge, but also about application and transformation. We strive to possess faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. We understand that these virtues are not just to be understood, but to be diligently developed and practiced in our lives.

We pray that by possessing these qualities and increasing in them, we will keep from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Pericope:

I: Address / II: Exhortation to Christian Virtue

GREETING / THE POWER OF GOD'S PROMISE

2 Peter 1:1-2 / 3-11

First Reading | 2 Peter 1:2-7

2 Beloved: May grace and peace be yours in abundance through knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has bestowed on us everything that makes for life and devotion, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and power. 4 Through these, he has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, 6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, 7 devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love. 

Background:

The background of 2 Peter 1:2-7 is rooted in the context of the entire book of 2 Peter. The author, Peter, identifies himself as an “apostle of Jesus Christ”. He specifically mentions that he was an eyewitness of the transfiguration. Peter probably wrote this letter from prison in Rome not too long before his death by execution, sometime during AD 64–671.

The letter was likely addressed to the churches of Asia Minor, as Peter mentions that this is his second letter to these same people. The theme of the book is that God’s grace in Christ truly transforms and empowers Christians to live righteously, despite opposition. This grace, introduced in 2 Peter 1:2–4, serves as the foundation for the whole book.

In the specific verses of 2 Peter 1:2-7, Peter is encouraging believers to grow in their faith and virtue. He lists several qualities that believers should strive to possess, including knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. These virtues, Peter argues, make one’s calling and election sure and prevent a believer from being unfruitful in their knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Peter’s purpose in writing this letter was to expose, thwart, and defeat the invasion of false teachers into the church. He intended to instruct Christians on how to defend themselves against these false teachers and their deceptive lies. Therefore, the background of 2 Peter 1:2-7 is set against this larger context of spiritual growth and defense against false teachings.

Learning Lessons:

The verses 2 Peter 1:2-7 are rich with lessons for believers. Here are some key takeaways:

Grace and Peace Through Knowledge: The passage begins with a blessing of grace and peace, which Peter says comes through the knowledge of God and Jesus. This suggests that a deeper understanding of God’s nature and Christ’s teachings can lead to a more peaceful and graceful life.

Divine Power and Promises: Peter talks about God’s divine power granting us everything we need for a godly life. He also mentions the great and precious promises given to us, which allow us to participate in the divine nature. This underscores the importance of faith in God’s power and promises.

Growth in Virtues: Peter lists several virtues that believers should strive to possess, including faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. These virtues are not just to be understood, but to be diligently developed and practiced in our lives.

Productivity in Faith: Peter concludes by saying that possessing these qualities and increasing in them will keep believers from being ineffective and unproductive in their knowledge of Jesus Christ. This teaches us that faith is not just about knowledge, but also about application and transformation.

In summary, 2 Peter 1:2-7 teaches us about the importance of growing in our knowledge of God, trusting in His promises, developing godly virtues, and being productive in our faith. These lessons can guide us in our spiritual journey and help us live a life that is pleasing to God. (Conversation with Copilot)

EXHORTATION TO CHRISTIAN VIRTUE

APOSTOLIC WITNESS
2 Peter 1:16-19

16 We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory, “This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

18 We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain.

19 Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable. You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

The Virtuous Life

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 4 "All lives are mine; the life of the father is like the life of the son, both are mine; only the one who sins shall die.

5 If a man is virtuous — if he does what is right and just:

• 6 if he does not eat on the mountains, 
• 6 nor raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; 
• 6 if he does not defile his neighbor’s wife, 
• 6 nor have relations with a woman in her menstrual period;
• 7 if he oppresses no one, 
• 7 gives back the pledge received for a debt, 
• 7 commits no robbery; 
• 7 if he gives food to the hungry 
• 7 and clothes the naked; 
• 8 if he does not lend at interest 
• 8 nor exact usury; 
• 8 if he holds off from evildoing,

judges fairly between a man and his opponent; 9 if he lives by my statutes and is careful to observe my ordinances, that man is virtuous — he shall surely live, says the Lord God.

The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe. -- Proverbs 16:17

It is simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life. Necessity urges us to pray for ourselves. Fraternal Charity obliges us to pray for others. God finds the prayer motivated by charity to be more meritorious than the prayer motivated by necessity. -- St. John Chrysostom

The righteous LORD loves justice. The virtuous will see his face (Ps 11:7). The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness (Prv 11:5). And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it (Is 35:8). The wicked bluff their way through, but the virtuous think before they act (Prv 21:29).

O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure (Ps 7:9). You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand (Ps 16:11). Surely the righteous will praise your name and the upright will live before you (Ps 140:13). And I--in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness (Ps 17:15).


Pericope:
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY - Ezekiel 18:1-32

Published:
August 16, 2014 - 9:04AM

DEADLY SINS

If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.  (1 John 5:16-17)


Virtues Opposed Deadly Sins

An alternative list, the seven heavenly virtues, is opposed to the seven deadly sins, and consists of chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility.

The seven virtues were first penned by the Greek philosophers, Aristotle and Plato.The seven heavenly virtues were derived from the Psychomachia ("Contest of the Soul"), an epic poem written by Aurelius Clemens Prudentius (c. AD 410) entailing the battle of good virtues and evil vices.The intense popularity of this work in the Middle Ages helped to spread the concept of holy virtue throughout Europe. Practicing these virtues is considered to protect one against temptation from the seven deadly sins, with each one having its counterpart. Due to this they are sometimes referred to as the contrary virtues.

Each of the seven heavenly virtues matches a corresponding deadly sin. These are:

CHASTITY 

"Castitas" 

(Purity, Knowledge, Honesty, Wisdom) 
Opposed to the sin of: Lust or "Luxuria"

• Abstaining from sexual conduct according to one's state in life; the practice of courtly love and romantic friendship. 
• Cleanliness through cultivated good health and hygiene, and maintained by refraining from intoxicants. 
• To be honest with oneself, one's family, one's friends, and to all of humanity. 
• Embracing of moral wholesomeness and achieving purity of thought-through education and betterment. 
• The ability to refrain from being distracted and influenced by hostility, temptation or corruption.

TEMPERANCE

"Temperantia"

(Self-Control, Justice, Honour, Abstention) 
Opposed to the sin of: Gluttony or "Gula"

• Restraint, temperance, justice. Constant mindfulness of others and one's surroundings; practicing self-control, abstention, moderation, zero-sum and deferred gratification.
• Prudence to judge between actions with regard to appropriate actions at a given time. 
• Proper moderation between self-interest, versus public-interest, and against the rights and needs of others.

CHARITY

"Caritas"

(Will, Benevolence, Generosity, Sacrifice) 
Opposed to the sin of:  Greed or "Avaritia"

• Generosity, charity, self-sacrfice; the term should not be confused with the more restricted modern use of the word charity to mean benevolent giving. 
• In Christian theology, charity -- or love (agäpé) -- is the greatest of the three theological virtues.
• Love, in the sense of an unlimited loving kindness towards all others, is held to be the ultimate perfection of the human spirit, because it is said to both glorify and reflect the nature of God. Such love is self-sacrificial. Confusion can arise from the multiple meanings of the English word "love". The love that is "caritas" is distinguished by its origin – being divinely infused into the soul – and by its residing in the will rather than emotions, regardless of what emotions it stirs up. This love is necessary for salvation, and with it no one can be lost.

DILIGENCE

"Industria"

(Persistence, Effort, Ethics, Rectitude) 
Opposed to the sin of:  Sloth or "Acedia".

• A zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work; decisive work ethic, steadfastness in belief, fortitude, and the capability of not giving up. 
• Budgeting one's time; monitoring one's own activities to guard against laziness. 
• Upholding one's convictions at all times, especially when no one else is watching (integrity). 

PATIENCE

"Patientia"

(Peace, Mercy, Ahimsa, Sufferance) 
Opposed to the sin of:  Wrath or "Ira"

• Forbearance and endurance through moderation. 
• Resolving conflicts and injustice peacefully, as opposed to resorting to violence. 
• The ability to forgive; to show mercy to sinners. 
• Not killing or being violent in any way to any life form or sentient being; to practice moderation of meat consumption and consistent life ethic. 
• Creating a sense of peaceful stability and community, rather than engendering suffering, hostility and antagonism.

KINDNESS 

"Humanitas"

(Satisfaction, Loyalty, Compassion, Integrity) 
Opposed to the sin of:  Envy or "Invidia"

• Charity, compassion and friendship for its own sake. 
• Empathy and Trust without prejudice or resentment. 
• Unselfish love and voluntary kindness without bias or spite. 
• Having positive outlooks and cheerful demeanor; to inspire kindness in others.

HUMILITY

"Humilitas"

(Bravery, Modesty, Reverence, Altruism) 
Opposed to the sin of:  Pride or "Superbia"

• Modest behavior, selflessness, and the giving of respect. 
• Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less. 
• It is a spirit of self-examination; a hermeneutic of suspicion toward yourself and charity toward people you disagree with. 
• The courage of the heart necessary to undertake tasks which are difficult, tedious or unglamorous, and to graciously accept the sacrifices involved. 
• Reverence for those who have wisdom and those who selflessly teach in love. 
• Giving credit where credit is due; not unfairly glorifying one's own self. 
• Being faithful to promises, no matter how big or small they may be. 
• Refraining from despair and the ability to confront fear and uncertainty, or intimidation.

Published: April 22, 2011 - 9:17AM

The Theological Virtues

In Catholic catechism, the 3 theological virtues are Faith, Hope, and Love or Charity; these were adopted by the Church Fathers.

In the New Testament or in Christianity, these theological virtues of faith, hope and love, is a list which comes from 1 Corinthians 13:13 (pistis, elpis, agape).

It was not until the New Testament began to be more extensively studied that the other three virtues of faith, hope, and charity were joined with the initial four virtues of temperance, wisdom, justice and courage.

Because of this difference of birth, the initial four virtues are widely referred to as the four cardinal virtues while the latter three are referred to as the three theological virtues, as mentioned by Stalker in his book The Seven Cardinal Virtues.

According to some Christian philosophers, most notably Thomas Aquinas, the theological virtues are to perfect one's love of God and Man and therefore to harmonize and partake of prudence.


Love or Charity

The Christian virtue of love is sometimes called charity and at other times a Greek word agape is used to contrast the love for God & family from other types of love such as friendship or physical affection.

Quote from Saints

No one should judge that he has greater perfection because he performs great penances and gives himself in excess to the staying of the body than he who does less, inasmuch as neither virtue or merit consists therein; for otherwise he would be an evil case, who for some legitimate reason was unable to do actual penance. Merit consists in the virtue of love alone, flavored with the light of true discretion, without which the soul is worth nothing. -- St Catherine of Siena


Published: April 22, 2011 - 9:07AM

PRUDENCE

PRUDENT
Therefore at such a time 
the prudent person keeps silent, 
for it is an evil time.

Amos 5:13

The principal safeguard is a prudent reserve, and not allowing liberties to be taken with you. Purity is a precious jewel, and the owner of a precious stone would never dream of making a display of his riches in the presence of thieves.  -- St John Bosco

The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it (Proverbs 22:3).  A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims folly (Proverbs 12:23). The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps (Proverbs 14:15). Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues (Proverbs 10:19).

In Catholic catechism, the 4 cardinal virtues are Prudence, Justice, Restraint or Temperance, and Courage or Fortitude. These were adopted by the Church Fathers.

This, in many ways, is a very strange parable. At first glance, it seems to be praising unscrupulous dishonesty. The steward who is about to be dismissed defrauds his master in order to gain the favor of his clients so that they will look after him when he is out of work. However, the point Jesus wants to make is not to applaud the dishonesty of the steward but to highlight how he used his situation to his advantage. We, too, should use our positions to further the work of God.

Luke 16: 1 - 8
1     He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a steward, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.
2     And he called him and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.'
3     And the steward said to himself, `What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.
4     I have decided what to do, so that people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the stewardship.'
5     So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, `How much do you owe my master?'
6     He said, `A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, `Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'
7     Then he said to another, `And how much do you owe?' He said, `A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill, and write eighty.'
8     The master commended the dishonest steward for his shrewdness; for the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.

DOING THE RIGHT THING

The man we hear about in the Gospel is in serious trouble. His life and employment are at stake. Someone has been telling the owner that the steward of his affairs has been doing “dirty business.” The owner will have none of this in his company and so asks for an account of the manager’s affairs. The manager will no longer hold his position. He will lose his job and will be in a rough time. The man is in a crisis. What will he do?

Jesus is pointing out to us in this story the shrewdness of the manager. He knows that his life in the business is about to end. He has thought about his future. Now he seeks to make things right so other employees may welcome him. “I will scratch your back if you scratch mine” is a common phrase. This is the “utang na loob,” the favor for favor. He is shrewd, wise and clever. He perceives and he acts. Too bad, he loses his job. At least he will have some sense of security even if he loses the security of his employment. He goes about reducing debts from his fellowmen. Whether he was giving away what is rightfully owed to the master or if he was reducing overpriced debts, he turns out to be very wise in his dealings.

The point that Jesus is making through this parable is that the people of God should be zealous in the affairs of God. We should act wisely.

Prudence is a gift of the Holy Spirit, one of the cardinal virtues. We need to be cunning as serpents and wise as doves. Prudence tells us that we should be practical in affairs and cautious in our undertakings. The prudent man looks where he is going (Proverbs 14:15). To be prudent is to discern the good in a given circumstance and the right means of achieving it (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1806).

The above-mentioned Gospel is an example of this. He wants to save his life (good) and takes the effort of reducing the debts (right means). Do we practice prudence in our dealings with others? Do we consider the future of our wellbeing? What steps do we take to ensure that our life is in the hands of God? Fr. Brian Steele, MGL

Reflection Question:
Where have you seen prudence at work in your life?

Give me the virtue of prudence that I may always do what is pleasing and right in Your sight. Amen.

Published: 4/21/11-5:51PM

VIRTUES UNITES US TO GOD

Let us not esteem worldly prosperity or adversity as things real or of any moment, but let us live elsewhere, and raise all our attention to Heaven; esteeming sin as the only true evil, and nothing truly good, but virtue which unites us to God. -- St Gregory Nazianzen