Virtue in the Spiritual Life

In the "Life Wisdom Learned from the Desert Fathers' column of the Catholic Times, the Benedictine monk offers readers a deeper understanding of virtue in their spiritual life.

Those who have reached perfection are gentle, humble, and always maintain their composure. Pride and vanity are the biggest obstacles… Impossible without God’s grace.

‘Gather Virtue!’ This theme may sound a bit awkward. It contains the meanings of ‘accumulating virtue,’ ‘acquiring virtue,’ and ‘cultivating virtue.’ The expression ‘gather’ is inspired by the concept of a ‘wise bee.’ Virtue is called ‘virtus’ in Latin, which means ‘power’ or ‘courage’ to do good. It can be said to be ‘good habits’ as the opposite of ‘vice’ (vitio), which means ‘bad habits’. The life of asceticism is the process of eliminating vices and planting virtues.

Therefore, it involves efforts to acquire virtues while combating vices. Victory over vices brings about the acquisition of corresponding virtues. Cassianus states that vices and their corresponding virtues cannot coexist in a person simultaneously. It is up to the persons themself to decide, according to their conscience, where to focus their attention.

The desert monks struggled to acquire virtue, and they believed that it was God’s grace that enabled them to advance in virtue and eliminate vices. 

Athanasius, in his Life of Antony, compares Antony to a wise bee and testifies: “At first Antony also began to live near his own village. As soon as he heard of a certain man full of zeal, he went to him like a wise bee (cf. Septuagint Psalm 6:8). Antony did not return home until he had seen him and had received some food for his way in virtue.” 

As a bee collects honey from various flowers, Antony tried to collect virtue from various people. This is because one cannot find all the virtues in one person. Therefore, one must imitate each of the virtues in various people. And he must actively seek out virtue and try to imitate it, just as a bee diligently searches for honey.

Cassianus explains this in detail. “We should not look for all the virtues in one person, however excellent he may be. In fact, some are adorned with the flowers of knowledge, others with the art of discernment, some with the weight of patience, some with the virtue of humility, some with the virtue of self-denial. Still others with the grace of simplicity. One surpasses the others by generosity, another by charity, by vigilance, by silence, by labor.

For this reason, a monk who wants to collect spiritual honey, like a wise bee, should collect each virtue from those who have advanced in some virtue, and carefully gather it into his own vessel. He should not worry about the virtues that the other person lacks, but should only focus on acquiring the virtues that he has. For if we were to acquire all the virtues from one person, we would hardly find a model to imitate. 

This is a reasonable and helpful teaching. We humans are not perfect, so we cannot possess all the virtues. Each person has their own strengths and weaknesses. When we, like the wise bees, try to find and emulate the good in others, our spiritual life will progress even further.

The desert monks struggled to acquire virtue. Abba Isidore explains why: “Evil separates people from God and separates them from one another. Therefore, we must quickly turn away from evil and pursue virtue. Virtue leads us to God and unites us with one another.” Just as there are many vices, there are also many virtues that are their counterparts.

They tried to acquire as many virtues as possible. The following two maxims from Abba Poemen illustrate this well: ‘Can a man rely on only one act?’ The elder answered,  ‘I would rather have a little of all the virtues'. “When someone prepares to build a house, he gathers together everything he needs for the construction, and he collects various kinds of materials. So too, let us have a little of all the virtues.”  

The story of two brothers who lived together in harmony in the desert for many years illustrates their remarkable pursuit of virtue. They competed with each other in patience and humility. Then one day, God revealed to one brother the virtues of the other brother in a special way. The brother recognized the superiority of the other brother and, from that moment on, he called him master, not brother, and treated him as his elder.  Here, we see extreme humility, not pride or jealousy, which can easily give rise to spiritual competition. If we were in this situation, we might be consumed by jealousy, anger, and pride.

The Desert Fathers regarded pride and vanity as the most significant obstacles to cultivating virtue. Pride mercilessly robs the soul of all its virtues. Cassianus says: “How dangerous and serious is the disease of pride! So much justice and virtue, so great faith and devotion, are destroyed by vanity, that they change the very nature and laws of the world, and all these virtues disappear into oblivion as if they had never existed.” 

And “there is no vice that so removes all virtue, and strips and strips a man of all righteousness and holiness, as the evil of pride. Pride is like a contagious disease that spreads throughout the whole body, and not only infects one part, but also injures the whole body, and seeks to completely destroy and crush those who have already reached the height of virtue.”

That is why they were most wary of pride. One of the elders received a revelation that there were worldly people who were very virtuous. Great elders who had reached the height of perfection were afraid of thinking that they were superior to others. God often made them aware that there were laymen who were just as virtuous as they were, in order to protect them from pride. A certain monk, who is taught by an angel that he is not as holy as a lay farmer, meets him and is impressed by his words. 

The first of all virtues is humility. Humility was the essence of the daily life of the desert monks. They believed that it was the grace of God that made it possible to advance in all virtues and to eliminate all vices. The teaching of the Desert Fathers is that no one can attain perfection by human effort alone without the grace of God. A person who has attained perfection is someone who is meek and humble like Jesus and who always maintains a constant sense of equanimity. Meekness, humility, and equanimity are the marks of a virtuous person. 

Poll on Attire For Mass Attendance

“What do you think about attire for Mass attendance?” July survey results... 2,791 participants.

The Catholic Newspaper and Catholic Good News of the Archdiocese of Seoul conducted a Catholic POLL from July 9 to 23 on the theme of “What do you think about attire for attending Mass?” A total of 2,791 people participated in the survey.

The majority of believers think that clothes that are too tight or see-through are inappropriate attire for Mass.

In the question asking respondents to select all attire they consider inappropriate for Mass attendance, the largest number (2,338) chose “clothing that clings to the body.” This was followed by “see-through thin clothing” (2,233), “slippers” (2,155), ‘sunglasses’ (1,962), “shorts or skirts above the knee” (1,870), “athletic wear (training suits, hiking gear, etc.)” (1,717), sleeveless tops (1,708), hats (1,653), and sandals worn barefoot (1,136). Few respondents chose sandals worn with socks (331) or knee-length shorts or skirts (296). There were also 112 respondents who believed that all of the suggested attire was appropriate for attending Mass.

When asked about their thoughts on attire for Mass attendance, most respondents answered that “inappropriate attire could make other Mass attendees uncomfortable” (1,641 people) and that “clothing appropriate for public places is acceptable for Mass” (1,352 people). The opinions that followed were, “Even if it is uncomfortable, you should wear formal attire as much as possible” (1,248 people) and “You should dress formally as usual, but light summer attire should be acceptable” (1,125 people). 

“It seems that there are more restrictions on women's attire than men's” (493 people). “Wearing comfortable clothes makes it easier to attend Mass” (440 respondents). “Attending Mass is important, and it doesn't matter what you wear” (276 respondents), and “People who are bothered by others' attire are the problem” (231 respondents).

The most common item people bring to Mass is a “smart device (smartphone, tablet, etc.) for viewing daily Mass, Catholic hymns, etc.” (1,512 people). Next were books for daily Mass (1,476), rosaries (1,337), and Catholic hymns (1,109). 

In the case of Mass books, 1,334 said they brought them, which corresponds to 65% of the 2,051 female respondents. On the other hand, 187 respondents said they did not bring anything to Mass. Some respondents said they brought the Catholic Prayer Book (184), the Bible (116), and church books such as the Legion of Mary textbook and devotional books (74).  

33% (916) of all respondents said they always read the readings and the Gospel before Mass. 49% (1,376 people) read the readings and the Gospel occasionally, but not always, and attended Mass. 18% (499 people) did not read the readings and the Gospel before Mass.

Faith and Reason in Search of Truth

The Catholic Peace Weekly's "Preciousness of Faith" column reflects on the life of faith: "Faith the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Heb. 11)  

There are many people around us who no longer hold religious beliefs. Among the columnist's childhood friends, almost none of them attend church today. We ask the non-believers: Why don’t you believe? However, from their perspective, it is a greater mystery: Why do you still believe?

Whether we believe or not, we walk the same path. We search for meaning.  Some people ask questions quickly, while others do so slowly. How should we live so that our lives are valuable and meaningful? What does it mean to live a full life? Nihilism denies this meaning. 

The following words of Jesus come to us who ask these questions. “For to him who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.” (Matthew 13:12)

According to the columnist's experience, spiritual growth tends to regress if not nurtured. Through this dialogue with non-believers, we are invited to rediscover the profound value of life and deepen our understanding of existence.

John Paul II's encyclical Fides et Ratio makes clear that faith and reason are essential for an understanding of truth and they should work together. In the 48th paragraph of the encyclical the Pope says: "Parrhesia of faith must be matched by the boldness of reason"  

Faith and reason are essential for a full understanding of truth, and  they should work together rather than in opposition to each other. "Parrhesia" from the Greek means candid and free speech, the obligation to speak the truth for the common good even at personal risk.

We need confidence and openness to express our beliefs in religious faith without fear of judgment or reprisal. It implies a deep-seated trust in the tenets of one's faith and the courage to share that faith with others. Boldness of reason signifies the courage to pursue intellectual inquiry, to question, to analyze, and to explore the depths of human knowledge. It's about not being afraid to grapple with complex ideas, even if they challenge existing beliefs. It involves a commitment to seeking truth through logical thought and evidence-based reasoning.

The phrase emphasizes that neither faith nor reason should dominate the other. Instead, they should complement each other in the quest for truth. Faith provides a framework of belief and a sense of purpose, while reason helps to understand and articulate that faith in a meaningful way. 

Fides et Ratio argues that faith can broaden the horizons of reason, while reason can help to understand and express the truths of faith. They are not mutually exclusive but rather work together to lead individuals toward a more comprehensive understanding of reality and their place within it. 

Heart to Heart Communication

 

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An article in the Catholic Peace Weekly has some background on Cardinal  John Henry Newman, 

an Anglican priest who became a Catholic. He dedicated his life to the Church and was named the 38th Doctor of the Church on July 31 by Pope Leo XIV. A  title given to saints who have made significant contributions to Catholic teaching and spirituality.

Cardinal Newman was born in London, England, in 1801 and was baptized an Anglican and ordained a Catholic priest. While a professor at Oxford University, he was a leading figure in the Oxford Movement, a 19th-century Anglican reform movement that wanted to revitalize the Church by reasserting its connection to Catholic traditions and emphasizing its spiritual independence from the state.

He realized that the Oxford Movement was more in line with universal church teaching and was baptized Catholic in 1845 by Father Domenico Barberi, his friend, an Italian Passionist priest living in England, who received him into the Catholic Church. In October 1846, he entered the Pontifical University of Urbano to study theology, and the following year, in 1847, he was ordained a priest and received the Doctor of Divinity degree from Pope Pius IX. 

In 1879, Pope Leo XIII made Newman a cardinal. This was an unusual decision for the time. Cardinal Newman chose the phrase “Cor ad cor loquitur” (heart speaks to the heart) as his pastoral motto.

Cardinal Newman had a profound influence on Catholic and Anglican doctrine. After his conversion, he remained active as a theologian, exploring the harmony between faith and reason when science and faith clashed over evolution. His work is credited with influencing the Second Vatican Council in 1965. He also authored 40 books and more than 20,000 documents.

As a Catholic and Anglican saint, Cardinal Newman's work has led to the establishment of institutions and organizations named after him in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and other Anglo-American countries. "He wrote numerous books on theology, spirituality, and mysticism. 

"Cor ad cor loquitur" is most famously associated with St. John Henry Newman, who adopted it as his episcopal motto when he became a cardinal. The phrase stresses the importance of personal, sincere, heartfelt connections in communication, particularly in matters of faith and spirituality, suggesting that profound truths are best communicated through genuine, personal relationships rather than through intellectual arguments alone. The phrase originates from the writings of St. Francis de Sales.

Newman believed that while logic and reason were important, they were not sufficient for conveying the more profound truths of faith. He argued that true conversion and transformation happen through a personal, heart-to-heart connection with God and others. The phrase continues to be used in various contexts, including by bishops, schools, and organizations, to emphasize the importance of personal connection, empathy, and authentic communication in relating with God and others.

"Cor ad cor loquitur" highlights the power of genuine human connection in fostering understanding, faith, and spiritual growth. 

What Happened to the Natural Law?

 

“The Natural Law that exists in all creatures is an expression of the innate moral consciousness that enables humans to discern through reason what is good and evil, what is truth, and what is falsehood.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church —1954)

The Catholic Teaching on the Natural Law can be considered a law within us that gives direction to our lives, guiding us to do good and avoid evil. This command of human reason would not have the force of law if it were not the voice and interpreter of a higher reason to which our spirit needs to listen.

However, in today's world, natural law no longer speaks to all with the same clarity as it did in the past. We have contradictory opinions in most of these philosophical matters, as in many areas of life. Both in the East and the West, humanity had little difficulty in accepting natural law thinking; however, with the many different interpretations and understandings of what the senses experience, the loss of meaning has occurred.

The Roman, Greek, and Asian societies seemed ready to understand and grasp the underpinning of the world in which they lived, well before the Christian era. In this brief summary, the Confucian understanding of the five constants, which can be understood as the natural virtues: humanity, rightness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness. 

The ‘Five Constants’ with their Chinese icons are humanity (仁), rightness (義), propriety (禮), wisdom (智), and trustworthiness (信). These five virtues influence and reinforce each other. Humanity is the complete virtue within the self, which includes and governs rightness, propriety, and wisdom. Trustworthiness serves as their underlying ‘realness’ and thus the foundation of the other four. These are innate to the person and need to be developed or lost when neglected.

Catholicism does not entirely accept the 'Tabula rasa' understanding of the psyche, which is rooted in the idea that the human mind is a blank slate before acquiring ideas through sense experience and reasoned reflection. Instead, Catholic theology emphasizes the spiritual nature of the human person, encompassing the rational soul and the capacity for free will.

The five constants of Confucianism offer us some insight into what those in Asia considered innate to humanity and required cooperation, part of the natural law.

The five virtues are considered 'constant' because they are believed to be universally applicable and enduring moral principles, essential for both individual cultivation and social harmony. These virtues are regarded as timeless and fundamental to human nature and social order and are understood as inherent in humanity. 

Purity of Life

Greed Defiles the Vessel of the Heart... 'Purity' is the Fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Discover and Realize the Meaning of the 'Body' and Join the Journey for a Holy Life. A  member of the Secular Missionary Society of the Kingship of Christ in the Catholic Peace Weekly gives the readers a meditation on Purity of Life.

Matthew 5:27-28 evokes the words, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). Jesus presented 'purity' as a prerequisite for seeing God, and spoke of a different meaning from the purity of the Old Testament tradition.

In the Old Testament, "purity" was primarily understood in a physiological sense, linked to sexual impurity and ritual purification. However, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught about charity, prayer, and fasting. He also redefined "purity" in the context of the debate over ancestral traditions (Matthew 15, Mark 7, Luke 11) and the call for humility and service, saying, "Do not imitate their actions".  Ultimately, what defiles the vessel of the heart is greed (lack of gratitude), a lack of contentment, and a lack of mercy, or compassion. 

Pope John Paul II emphasizes the new human subjectivity. Peter states that baptism purifies the heart  (1 Peter 3:21). In his epistles, the Apostle Paul speaks of the inner conflict between what comes from the Father and what comes from the world—the conflict between living according to the Spirit and living according to the flesh.

The purity of heart that Christ spoke of can only be realized through a "life according to the Spirit." These two conflicts that arise within one's heart prove that one is with the Spirit and are what the Spirit desires. The flesh that the Apostle Paul speaks of is the visible, physical body, the external human being. Purity, as we now understand it, is both an ethical virtue and the fruit of the gift of the Spirit. 

The Apostle Paul speaks of the overlapping and intertwining of the ontological dimension (flesh and spirit), the ethical dimension (ethical good and evil), and the pneumatological dimension (the Holy Spirit's activity within the world of grace).

Humans possess transcendence and expand themselves through this transcendence, but transcendence becomes difficult if one is confined to one's own desires. Transcendence is an inner and creative power. When harmful desires grow, our perspectives, our valuations, and our ways of loving can be overwhelmed by the power of the emotional realm rather than the desires of reason. This is why we cannot stop questioning. 

Life according to the Spirit, freed from the life of the flesh, is liberation and new creation. New creation means becoming a child. It is a liberated life given freedom as a gift. This is a gift from Christ, but it is impossible without my participation in following Christ. Every choice I make in my daily life is a Passover, fulfilled in the Holy Spirit. This is because it takes the form of resurrection, leading not to the path of death but to the path of life.

Church ethics aims to make us like Jesus. Ultimately, it is an invitation to "become holy (perfect) people." The source of holiness already resides within me, and through "purity", I discover and realize the meaning of the body. The same holds true in my relationship with the world. Ultimately, purity lies in the journey of sanctification, justification, and deification, which participate in fundamental truth and enable a holy lifestyle.

Confronting Ageism

The Catholic Peace Weekly Diagnosis of the Times Column, written by a professor in the social welfare department of a university, reminds readers of some of the problems related to ageism.

We all remember signs that reminded children they were not welcome in certain areas of society, with ‘No Kids Zone’, but today there are places that elders are not welcome, the signs are not seen, but respect for age, despite the traditional emphasis on respect for elders in  Confucianism, rapid modernization and changing social dynamics have led to a rise in age discrimination, particularly in employment and social interactions.

The professor recalls an incident she heard from a senior professor who is about to retire. He went to a newly opened café where he works because he wanted coffee, and sat down at an empty seat at the entrance. But after a while, the waiter approached him with an embarrassed expression and said, “I’m sorry, but could you please move to a seat inside?” The reason was that if an elderly person was at the entrance, the young students would turn away and not come in. Reflecting on it, it seems that there have been numerous places in our society that have not been welcoming to the elderly. 

‘No’ carries a lot of context, some of which is very healthy and some of which is not so healthy. When the 'no' is directed towards a person, we have plenty of reason to examine our values and priorities, for the object could be discrimination and even hatred.

As a result, ‘No Kids’ has created negative perceptions about marriage and childbirth, which has spread low birth rates, and ageism has created discrimination and hatred against the elderly, and even possibly the fear of the elderly. 

Aging is a universal human development that no human can avoid. No one is born old, and no one is forever young. Just as the elderly of today were young in the past, the young of today will become old in the future. Our lives, in most cases, are mysteries that cannot be predicted.  It must mean that we should not be arrogant before the omnipotent God, but live humble, faithful, and devoted lives.

Therefore, we cannot know the secret hidden behind it until we reach that time. Until we reach that age, until we live that time ourselves, we cannot find out the truth of life hidden in the life of that age. Therefore, we are only as ignorant as our current age, and only as wise as our experiences up to now.

However, there is only one way to gain knowledge and wisdom beyond my age and experience. It is through the elders and seniors who have walked the maze of life before us. When Pope Francis declared the ‘World Day for Grandparents and Senior Citizens,’ he said that the vocation of the elderly is to “preserve roots, pass on faith to the young, and care for the young.”

We cannot buy the experience and wisdom of that time without paying the price of 60, 70, or 80 years of our lives. In other words, we can never attain the wisdom of the elderly without becoming elderly. However, God gave us grandparents and senior citizens, allowing us, who are ignorant, to borrow their wisdom.

Generations are connected and circulate continuously. One generation is connected to the next, and then to the next. Breaking the natural order of connection and circulation and disconnecting generations is the path that leads our lives and our society to decline and destruction.

As we experienced during liberation, a country taken by an invasion from another country can be reclaimed. However, a country where a new generation is not born and the population decreases, unable to be passed on to the next generation, will disappear. The moment a generation is cut off, both society and its individuals cease to grow and develop.

Humans are social animals who learn and grow through relationships. Furthermore, we can gain more learning and wisdom through relationships with other generations that precede or follow us than through relationships within the same generation that are equally ignorant.

Yes, South Korea is facing a growing problem with discrimination against older adults, commonly known as ageism

While Korean culture, traditionally influenced by Confucianism, has emphasized respect for elders and filial piety, rapid modernization and changing social dynamics have strained these values.