This week we are doing Lesson 1. The chapter is entitled Virtue Explained. Read the lesson and leave your thoughts and answers to the questions from the chapter in the comments throughout this week and we can discuss them!
"Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall: so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:10-11
"Virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do good." Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 1833
"Human virtues acquired by education, by deliberate acts and by a perseverance ever-renewed in repeated efforts are purified and elevated by divine grace. With God's help, they forge character and give facility in the practice of the good. The virtuous man is happy to practice them." CCC no. 1810
The following verses in the Bible are what you will need to read for the discussion questions. I'm listing them in the order the Books are in the Bible, not the order of the questions. If this makes it more difficult let me know!
Luke 1:30-35 and 2:4-7
11 comments:
Here's my answers so far:
1.) I think some of the modern impressions and/or misconceptions about virtue are that a.) only holy people, i.e. Saints, etc are virtuous, b.) virtue is "dead" because everybody lives of this world, not in this world and everyone looks at tv, movies, music, people on the street and just don't see any virtue, and c.) people who think they are virtuous are only pretending, or are uptight, lecture others, etc.
Also people tend to this as long as they follow their hearts or what they think is good, then they are doing the right thing.
I used to think some of these things to and reading this lesson has definitely explained the true meaning of virtue. Also I now know what the four cardinal and 3 theological virtues are and how they are given to us and the difference between the cardinal and the theological virtues.
2.) I think virtue is health of soul, because when we practice the virtues we are close to God and also when we are close to God we grow in virtue!
Just as eating healthy is good for our body, being close to God and practicing/living out the virtues in our daily lives is good for our soul.
3.)The work of anyone who loves righteousness are virtues! I think its profitable in that it brings us closer to God and also brings more righteousness.
4.a.)Luke 1:30-35 and 2:4-7
Humility. Jesus is King of kings but he was born of poor Jewish peasant girl, in a stable. He shows us how worldly goods are not what we should seek.
b.)John 4:34 Jesus seeks only to fulfill the Father's will and that is what we should want to do.
c.) Matthew 22:36-40
Jesus tells us we should love God with all our hearts and our neighbor as ourselves. Love is the greatest commandment and we must show love above all else.
5.a.) 2 Corinthians 7:1
Its important to cleanse our soul and body (be virtuous) to show God reverance.
b.) 1 Thessalonians 5:8-10
We should be virtuous because Jesus died for us so we could be saved. We should do it out of love for God.
c.) 2 Timothy 4:7-8
If we live virtuously, fight the good fight, and keep the faith, we will recieve our reward in heaven.
d.) Titus 2:11-14
We are called to live sober, upright and godly lives, training us to turn away from worldly passions and towards Jesus.
Awesome, Crystal!
I have yet to be that book, but I plan to print this post so I can read what I do have here at home.
I'm looking forward to this!
Hi Crystal! Just wanted to let you know that I posted about the Bible study on my blog with links to you and Milehimama. Talk to you soon...God's love and peace to you and your family.
I can relate to Crystal's response to the first question: I think that virtue is commonly viewed as being reserved for saints and those referred to as holy. As humans, I think we tend to detach ourselves from virtue and forget that it comes from God (we just have to be open to receiving it and acting with virtue). Before converting, I saw virtue as this ethereal, holy term and as something I might as well not even try to act with. After converting, my eyes have been opened to what true virtue is and how I can be virtuous through the Holy Spirit working in me. Until this lesson, I have been more familiar with the definitions of the theological virtues than with the moral virtues (I'm familiar with the moral virtues, was just unaware of their being called as such). In other words, this lesson has helped my understanding of the term.
Question 2: How can virtue not be "health of soul"? Like Crystal commented, when we are fed by Christ through this "habit of goodness", we are most definitely going to be closer to Him and therefore be more spiritually healthy. When we act with virtue, we are following Christ, which is exactly what He wants (for us to be with Him). And by praying and acting with faith, not only are we being virtuous, we are opening our souls to receiving these gifts.
Question 3: The work of those who love righteousness is virtues. "Nothing in life is more useful" or "profitable" because it brings us closer to our Lord and that is what He desires of us.
Question 4:
(a) Jesus' presence in the womb and the actions of Mary and Joseph reveal enormous faith.
(b) Wow! Jesus says that His nourishment is to do the will of God. This is an awesome example to us of virtuous living (by doing the will of God) and "health of soul".
(c) This is not only an example of virtuous behavior, but Jesus outright tells us that the greatest commandment of God is to love - to love God "with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind" and to love "your neighbor as yourself".
Question 4 continued...
These lessons show us examples of how to live with faith, to act with virtue and receive the virtues by doing the will of God, and to love God entirely (with all of our being) and to love others. We are taught to have faith in even the most difficult circumstances. We must do the will of God to live a virtuous life, to be fed, to receive the gifts of the virtues. In loving God entirely, we must love Him completely, not just with some little piece of ourselves. And to love our neighbors as ourselves, we must show a tremendous love to all people we encounter.
Question 5:
(a) To please God, we must cleanse our souls of all that is unholy so that we may bring honor and glory to Him.
(b) God created us for salvation through Christ Jesus and to live in eternity with Him. Therefore we must happily walk with faith, hope, and love and be distinguishable as belonging to our Savior.
(c) We must live a virtuous life here on earth and keep our faith in all situations, longing to be with Christ. Doing this, we will receive our "award" in heaven with our Lord.
(d) Through God's grace, we must turn from all that is worldly (not of God) and live virtuous lives that bring glory to our Savior.
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