Lent with the Early Church Fathers Day 22

Day 22

Lent with the Early Church Fathers

A daily post from Tom Bandy 

Based on A Year with the Church Fathers (Ed. Mike Aquilina, St. Benedict Press, 2010) 

Find all the virtues in love Augustine 

As far as virtue leading us to a happy life is concerned, I believe that virtue is nothing other than perfect love of God. I regard the fourfold division of virtue as taken from the four forms of love. I wish all felt the influence of those four virtues in their minds as much as they have their names in their mouths! I would not hesitate to define them this way: 

·         Temperance is love giving itself entirely to what is loved.

·         Fortitude is love readily bearing anything for the sake of what is loved.

·         Justice is love serving only what is loved, and therefore ruling rightly.

·         Prudence is love distinguishing wisely between what hinders it and what helps it. 

The object of this love is nothing other than God, the chief good, the highest wisdom, the perfect harmony. So we may express the definition this way: 

·         Temperance is love keeping itself entire and uncorrupted for God.

·         Fortitude is love bearing everything readily for the sake of God.

·         Justice is love serving God only.

·         Prudence is love making a right distinction between what helps it towards God and what might hinder it. 

TGB: Marcus Aurelius’ defined happiness as the power to think and act in ways that are just, generous, resolute, and free. And the way of peace is to be content with yourself; honor the light of reason within; live harmoniously with others; be grateful to the gods for the universe and your place in it.