FAUSTO GOMEZ, OP
We read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC, no. 1813): The theological virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity… They inform and give life to all the moral virtues.
Virtues are harmoniously interconnected: one to the other, and informed by love, by charity, which is the virtue above all others (CCC, 25), the mother of all virtues (St. Thomas STh, II-II, 23). Indeed, charity is the virtue
The life of an authentic Christian is a virtuous life: following the Virtuous One Jesus Christ, God and Man. Writes St. Asterius of Amasea: “You are Christians and that very name means that you believe in charity. You must imitate the charity and love of Christ.”
A virtuous life is the life of a disciple of Christ who practices virtues: the Seven Magnificent Virtues, which according to St. Thomas Aquinas make a good Chattian, namely, faith, hope and charity (the theological virtues), and prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance (the cardinal human moral virtues).
As human beings, we need to have human virtues, or firm good dispositions of the soul, such as justice and solidarity. As Christians in particular, we need most of all, the theological virtues, which are not acquired by us but infused by God. They are God’s gifts to us – to all. The omnipotent and merciful God gives sufficient graces to all: to be able to obtain salvation, heaven. No one will be able to say: “Lord, you did not help me enough!” He always helps us much more than enough.
God’s radical gift is grace, which elevates our being to the supernatural or divine life. In theology, grace is called the stable, entitative principle of life while the theological virtues – and other infused moral virtues – are called the dynamic operative principles that issue good deeds for salvation. St. Thomas writes: “Faith generates hope, and hope charity” (I-II, 65, 4).
The three theological virtues of faith, hope and charity are three ways to respond to God: faith is the root of Christian life; hope is its orientation and charity, its substance (Hans Urs von Balthasar). Protestant theologian Jonathan Wilson describes faith beautifully as the Christian way of knowing, hope as the Christian way of being and charity as the Christian way of doing. The three theological virtues are inseparably united: given by God and focused on God. Hope is closely linked to faith and charity; faith guarantees the blessings of hope (Heb 11:1); hope is not deceptive because the love of God has been poured into our hearts (Rom 5:5).
Saint Paul speaks of the three theological virtues as the great triad of Christian virtues (I Cor 13:13; Col 3:14). The greatest of the three is charity. In Christian tradition, only charity gives perfection to faith and hope – and to all virtues. Without charity, the theological virtues of faith and hope cannot be fertile. Faith and hope without charity are not able to obtain the Kingdom. Charity is the form, the life of all virtues, especially of her two sisters, that is, faith and hope. St. John of the Cross wrote that “without charity, no virtue is graceful before God”(Noche oscura). Three theological virtues and no more no less. Why? St. Thomas Aquinas answers: because “human salvation consists in knowing the truth [faith]…, in the intention for a fitting end [hope] …, in observing justice [charitable justice]” (Compendium Theologiae).
Faith perfects the intellect, and hope and charity perfect the will. Since these virtues are supernatural inclinations, they raise up, perfect the natural inclinations. Faith perfects the natural inclination to understand the truth. Hope perfects the natural inclination to love oneself, and charity perfects the natural inclination to love others. “Faith causes a supernatural participation in divine knowledge, and hope and charity cause a supernatural participation in divine love.” “Hence, although faith causes hope, which causes charity, charity perfects both faith and hope” (John Sziha, The Christian Moral Life. Directions).
Faith is considered the most basic virtue and charity, the most perfect one, and hope, perhaps the most urgently necessary in our earthly life: faithful and loving hope. It was said: “Dum spiro, spero” – as long as I breathe, I hope. Saint Augustine said it well: “Vita vitae mortalis, spes est vitae immortalis” – the life of mortal life is the hope of immortal life (St. Augustine).
After all, People cannot live without hope… People can live without faith and apparently many do. Many also live without love. But without hope, something to move us onward, we simply cannot go on (Michael Downey, Hope Begins Where Hope Begins).
What is the answer to the real situation of human existence? It is mainly hope: “The virtue of hope is the primary virtue corresponding to the status viatoris; it is the authentic virtue of the ‘not yet’” (J. Pieper).
Charity is the most perfect virtue, the virtue. Charity as divine love in us(also, at the natural level, true human love), provides the deepest meaning to life: “To live is to love” (E. Mounier). “A human life without love is unimaginable” (Gaspar Ortega Villaizán). A Christian life without charity is empty and shallow. Indeed, I love, therefore I truly exist.
The human virtues of faith, hope and love do not lead to the theological virtues, which are – like grace – beyond and above human reach: “Between human faith and Christian faith there is an abyss.” To jump from human to Christian faith one needs “a certain experience of God and his help” (G. Ortega).
And to conclude. Charity is virtue number one. It needs faith as the basis, and hope as the longing, and the other infused virtues as its feet and hands. Faith finds its expression in love. And hope is not disappointing “because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us (Rom 5:5). Thus, the whole moral life of the Christian is focused on charity. The other virtues, to be real virtues, must become mediationsof charity. Then, love truly, “and do what you want” (St. Augustine)
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