Lesson03/13

Virtue, sin, and grace

Build good habits, recognize the destructive power of sin, and cooperate with healing grace.

Estimated time: 10 min
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Virtue makes freedom last.

Virtue is a steadfast inclination that helps us do good more easily and joyfully. The four cardinal virtues are prudence, justice, courage, and self-control; the three theological virtues are faith, hope, and love.

Key point

The Holy Spirit perfects life through seven gifts and produces fruits such as charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Call the sin by its proper name.

Sin is an offense against God, a wound to oneself, others, and communion. Mortal sins involve serious matters, are known and freely consented to; venial sins weaken love but do not completely destroy the life of grace.

Grace is God's gratuitous help, healing, sanctifying, and enabling us to cooperate. The new law of the Gospel is the grace of the Holy Spirit at work through love.

Reflection

Which habits are helping me to be freer? Which habits are making it difficult for me to choose what is good?

Practice

Choose a virtue to cultivate. Set a small action, a specific time, and a way to reflect on it at the end of each day for seven consecutive days.

References

Path progress

Virtue, sin, and grace

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