FAR from
falling into irrelevance, and much less, into
obsolescence, as some people claim, virtues are actually
most needed
today. And that’s simply because with the fast-moving and
more
complicated developments of the times, virtues actually
help us
greatly in properly tackling the challenges of these new
developments.
We are actually
in urgent need of these stable qualities
in our modern times. We have to debunk the myth that
virtues hinder
our reactions to the challenges of the times. It is a
piece of
pre-historic thinking that would consider the virtues as
obstacles in
our effort to grapple with the new developments.
It is amazing
that some people, even the self-proclaimed
highly educated people who are supposed to be very
scientific in their
outlook, would still cling to that fiction. If anything
at all,
virtues help us not only to facilitate our reactions to
these new
developments but also to see to it that our reactions are
the right
ones.
We need to
dismantle the bias against virtues as wrongly
understood by some people. In fact, these days we should
be into some
intense campaign to promote the importance, development
and practice
of the virtues. This should start in the family, and
always reinforced
in parishes, schools, offices and everywhere else. They
are always
relevant. There is nothing in our life where the virtues
would be out
of place.
Take, for
example, the cardinal virtues under which all
the other virtues are grouped and which are the hinges of
a virtuous
life, a life that would resemble us more and more with
our Creator God
who made us to be his image and likeness.
Prudence
“disposes reason to discern in every circumstance
our true good and to choose the right means for achieving
it. Prudence
guides the other virtues by pointing out their rule and
measure.”
(Compendium 380)
Given the
confusing culture of our times where we not only
have to distinguish between what is good and evil, but
also between
competing good options, we really would need prudence to
be able to
make the right choice. Under this virtue, for example
would the virtue
of order that enables us to have the proper priorities
amid the many
things that we have to consider.
Justice enables
us to give to others, especially God,
their due. (cfr. Compendium 318) This virtue is always
necessary since
we are not supposed to live simply on our own. We always
live with
others, and we have duties and responsibilities toward
them. This
virtue will help us avoid falling into self-indulgence
and
self-absorption which are the common anomalies today.
Fortitude
“assures firmness in difficulties and constancy
in the pursuit of the good.” (Compendium 382) Since our
life will
always involve moves of conquest and defense, we cannot
overemphasize
the importance of this virtue.
And again,
given the complexities of our times, we have to
make sure that we are tough and strong enough to tackle
the many
challenges of the times. Sad to say, many now have fallen
into despair
precisely because they lack this virtue that will always
include a
certain sense of optimism despite all the possible
mishaps we can
experience in life.
And then we
have the virtue of temperance which “moderates
the attraction of pleasures, assures the mastery of the
will over
instincts and provides balance in the use of created
goods.”
(Compendium 383)
This is a
virtue that I would say is most immediately
needed, since we are easily carried away by the movements
of the flesh
as it interacts with the new, fascinating albeit
intoxicating things
of today’s environment.
This is where
we need to have self-discipline and a good
sense of restraint and moderation in the use of the new
technologies,
for example.
If we want to
be truly human, let alone, authentically
Christian, we need these virtues more than we need food,
drink and
air.
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