OF THE VIRTUES IN GENERAL - CARDINAL VIRTUES
Lesson 27 of The Supernatural Life - 5th. Course - Editorial Luis Vives, 1954
--327. What is virtue: Virtue is a habitual disposition of the soul that inclines us to act well or, more briefly, it is a habit of acting well; it is a good habit that gives us the aptitude or inclination to proceed in everything correctly, according to the order established by God.
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Virtue is not a transitory act, but a quality, a permanent inclination that leads us to do what is pleasing to God and even what is more pleasing to Him.
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He who possesses the virtue of charity, for example, seeks to take advantage of every opportunity to exercise it and goes even further: he runs after them to alleviate miseries and to practice works of mercy and apostolate.
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It is convenient to distinguish well between virtue and act of virtue, because a virtuous act does not always suppose the existence of virtue in the one who executes it because it can be an isolated act as it can also happen that a soul possesses a virtue and does not have occasion to exercise it and produce acts.
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Virtue is the permanent and constant tendency or disposition of the will to produce good and virtuous acts. It can be compared to a fruit tree that bears its fruits at the right time: the fruits are the acts of virtue.
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328. Classes of virtues.
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Virtues are divided by their end: into natural and supernatural; and by their origin: into infused and acquired.
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The supernatural virtues can be, according to their object: theological and moral, and according to their degree or intensity: common and heroic.--329. Infused virtues: The infused virtues are those which God infuses into the soul by means of Holy Baptism and the other Sacraments, without our cooperation.
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Some are totally supernatural, inasmuch as we can in no way acquire them by means of our own acts. Others are supernatural in the way that God infused them into us "in fact," even though we could acquire them by repeated acts.
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The theological virtues and some moral virtues are infused.
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The sanctifying grace that God gives us is always accompanied by the qualities that enable us to act in a way that befits children of God. We cannot acquire these qualities or habitual dispositions by our own strength. God infuses them into us gratuitously, which is why they are called infused virtues.
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Acquired virtues: Acquired virtues are those which man attains little by little by the repetition of the same kind of acts and by dint of overcoming himself. If the grace of God helps these efforts, supernatural acts of virtue are produced.
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331. Natural virtues: Natural virtues are those which are acquired and preserved by natural forces, that is, by the goodness of the operation and the light of reason alone.
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These virtues are increased by the repetition of acts; but they are of no use for eternal life, since they tend to a purely natural end: God rewards them in this world. [note: e.g. philanthropy, which does not give merit for heaven since they are done for love of creation and not of God]
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[to understand the following one could think that the true theological virtues: Faith Hope and Charity, the Catholic ones, are always infused, but that there are inferior theological virtues which are the natural theological virtues. Or that within the circle of theological and moral virtues there is another smaller circle, which are the infused theological and moral virtues].
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The natural inclination that leads us to do good and avoid evil, we call natural virtue: the principal of these are seven: the three theological virtues, faith, hope and charity, which relate man to God, and the four moral virtues, prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance, which moderate his costumes
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The principle from which they proceed, their object and the end to which they are directed, distinguish the natural from the supernatural: the theological ones are usually supernatural, but not always. Charity, for example, which does not have the grace of God as its principle, will lead us to love him as our Creator and benefactor, but not as the Father who has adopted us as his children.
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He works by natural virtue, for example, who at the sight of the misery or misfortune of others, out of pure natural compassion, is moved to give alms; or who, for the sake of his bodily health, fasts from time to time, or habitually moderates himself in eating.
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332. Supernatural virtues: The supernatural virtues are the good dispositions which God freely infuses into the soul, together with sanctifying grace. They are acquired and preserved only with the help of divine grace and tend to a supernatural end. Such are those which are communicated to us in the reception of the Sacraments.
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God alone can increase and perfect them in the soul, because He alone can act upon infused habits; but man must merit this increase by his cooperation, that is, by good acts.
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Supernatural acts of virtue are those that are done for a supernatural purpose, for example: studying to please God, fasting to obtain the forgiveness of sins, explaining doctrine to make Jesus Christ known and save souls, etc.--Only the supernatural virtues are meritorious for after death because they alone have God as their end.
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333. Moral virtues: The moral virtues have for their immediate and direct object the good and good costumes and order our moral actions according to reason and the law of God.
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These virtues are innumerable, but four principal ones stand out, which we call cardinal, because they are the foundation of all Christian morality and around them are grouped all the others.
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Among the most important moral virtues are: religion, penance, humility, obedience, meekness, generosity, sobriety, chastity, zeal for the good and abnegation in fulfilling the duties of state.The moral virtues are not addressed to the understanding but to the will in relation to the moral life. They can exist in man as purely natural virtues; several pagan philosophers distinguished themselves in some of them. To be supernatural they must be based on faith and DIVINE grace or charity.
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334.- Cardinal virtues.- The four cardinal virtues are: prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. With them are coupled all human activities capable of moral perfection.--
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The word cardinal comes from the Latin: cardo, cardinis, hinge or hinge; these virtues are so called because they are like hinges around which the other moral virtues revolve.
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335. Prudence: Prudence is the moral virtue which teaches us to discern rightly what we should do or avoid in each case in order to salvation.--It is the most important of the four cardinal virtues. Jesus Christ highly recommends it to us: Be wise as serpents (St. Matthew, X, 16). He reminds us of it in the parable of the "Wise Virgins" and in other passages of the Gospel. It is so necessary that, without it, every other virtue becomes a vice. It is the characteristic note of the true saint: it makes us keep the just mean in everything, such as the norms of justice, the courage of fortitude, the moderation of temperance.
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Prudence has for its object to show us in every deliberate action the supernatural end to which we should tend and the means that lead to that end. Although it belongs to the practical understanding it is counted among the moral virtues, because it directs the will in influencing all our moral acts.--Its exercise comprises three acts:
1º Reflects on and studies the proportionate means and circumstances of time, place, persons, manner, etc., so that the action is good.
2. It determines and judges correctly about the end to be achieved, without being guided by the false principles of human prudence, which seeks the comforts of the flesh.
3º It commands that the action be carried out or not, according to what has been judged.
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Every Christian, before acting, should ask himself these three questions: Is it lawful? Is it convenient? Is it advantageous?
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In making a decision, let us do as we would advise another in the same case, or as we would wish to have done at the hour of death. Having made a prudent resolution, let us act promptly without human respect and always keep the divine will in view.--
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336.- Justice -- Justice, strictly speaking, is the moral virtue that inclines us habitually to recognize the rights of others and to give to each one his due (See the 5th course: Catholic Morals, No. 60) [I have already photographed the four books and they should be on my Facebook page in Spanish].
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In sacred theology, justice is also the set of virtues that constitute holiness. In this case, justice and holiness are synonymous words. Jesus Christ is the Righteous One par excellence. St. Matthew says of St. Joseph that he was just (I, 19), and St. Luke affirms it of the old man Simeon (II, 25).
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The object of justice is what is owed to another with strict obligation. Holiness puts in the first place the right of God, that is, the duties that we owe to Him; then it gives to our neighbor what is due to him, but first of all, each one takes care of his own soul.
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[There is a drawing of the mother of the seven Maccabean brothers with the following paragraph:] The strength of the mother of the seven Maccabean brothers: "Admirable above all consideration and worthy of eternal memory was the mother who, seeing her seven sons die in a single day, bore it with courage, because of the hope she had in God; and in her native tongue she exhorted them, full of generous sentiments; and giving manly strength to her womanly words she said to them: "I do not know how you have appeared in my womb, for I have not given you the breath of life, nor composed your limbs. The Creator of the universe, author of man's birth and maker of all things, will mercifully restore you to life, if now, for love of his holy laws, you despise it"... "My son," she said to the youngest, "do not fear this executioner, but show yourself worthy of your brothers, and receive death, so that on the day of mercy you may be restored to me with them." (II Macc., VII, 20-30)
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EXAMPLE: Christian justice does not allow itself to be bought: Two English nobles were in a lawsuit before the Chancellor Thomas More, now a saint, and one of them, in order that it might be favorable to him, gave the Chancellor two silver vases of great value. The chancellor received them kindly, had them filled with wine and returned them to the donor. Thomas was persuaded that the judge who accepts gifts takes the first steps towards iniquity and he did not understand criminal weaknesses.
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337. Fortitude: Fortitude is the permanent moral virtue that gives the will the courage to endure adversity, to resist the passions, and to overcome all obstacles that oppose the fulfillment of our duties and the practice of virtue. It comprises, therefore, two acts: resisting the enemy and doing good.
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This virtue shines forth in a special way in the martyrs, who do not shrink back even in the face of death, when it is a question of fulfilling a grave duty or avoiding evil.
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He who daily strives with a right purpose to fulfill his duties with careful punctuality and diligence, practices the supernatural virtue of fortitude [note: if he does it to please God and his purpose is not only to please the boss]; because it presupposes energy in the will to overcome human respect and to overcome other difficulties.
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The object of fortitude is, then, to give us vigor and courage to fulfill in every case our duty, and boldness to undertake dangers and overcome obstacles however serious they may be.
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EXAMPLE of Christian fortitude: A young Chinese nurse, who had several times taken packages to an imprisoned missionary, heard one day this sentence from the security agent: "Come tomorrow at nine o'clock". As soon as the young woman introduced herself, the policeman noisily placed the pistol on the table, a procedure that had no effect, because the young woman told him: "I have come here to obey meekly; it is useless to intimidate me. Put that pistol back where it was."
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The policeman gave in, but immediately began the attack: "How is it that you help an imperialist, the most dangerous in the whole prison? What kind of relations did you have with him?
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To this hateful insinuation the young woman replied with all vigor, threatening to go immediately and file a libel suit.
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The guard immediately changed the subject: "Were you not a member of the Legion of Mary?"-No, she replied, I didn't even know what that was. But, she added, now that I know it, I would like to know where there is a group so that I can sign up immediately.
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338. Temperance: Temperance is the moral virtue that leads us to restrain the evil passions and to use with moderation those things that flatter the senses.
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It does not refer only to sobriety in eating and drinking, but also to the right use of all earthly pleasures and goods. Its object, then, is not to forbid all kinds of pleasures, but to moderate the desire for them and their use according to the Law of God. It excludes what is superfluous, but not what is necessary for life.
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Integral parts of temperance are: shame, which makes one flee from what is clumsy, and honesty, which inclines one to what is decent and noble.--Modalities of it are: abstinence, sobriety, chastity and modesty
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339. Common and heroic virtues: Common virtues are those which are possessed in a common or ordinary degree among Christians. When a virtue stands out far above the ordinary, it is said to be heroic.
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He who gives alms, for example, practices common charity, provided he does it for the love of God; but if he gives away all his goods to the point of depriving himself of what is necessary, or exposes his life to save another, his charity is heroic.
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340. How the virtues are acquired or lost: The virtues can be acquired in two ways: by infusion in Baptism, and by one's own efforts, as is usually the case with the moral virtues. The theological virtues cannot be acquired, because they are beyond the capacity of man; they are infused by God at the same time as baptismal sanctifying grace.
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The infused virtues increase with the increase of sanctifying grace. Acquired virtues are increased by the repetition of supernatural acts of the same.--The infused virtues are lost by acts contrary to the same; faith by apostasy; hope by despair; and charity by mortal sin.
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The moral virtues are diminished in lukewarm or careless souls, and are lost when they are not practiced.
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On losing the grace of God, the moral virtues generally lose their supernatural value, but the natural habit is not lost if they continue to be practiced.
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All these virtues can be preserved and increased by prayer, the frequency of the holy Sacraments, and the repetition of acts
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READINGS
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Virtues derived from the cardinal virtues and vices opposed to them.
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VIRTUES DERIVED FROM PRUDENCE are: foresight, circumspection, discernment, caution, docility, self-distrust, discretion in keeping secrets, etc.
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OPPOSITE VICES BY DEFECT: imprudence with its four modalities: inconsideration or thoughtlessness, precipitation, inconstancy and negligence.
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They are by EXCESS: cunning for which all means are good, and excessive solicitude for temporal goods, as one who distrusts divine providence.
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VIRTUES ATTACHED TO JUSTICE are: religion, which respects the rights of God; filial piety and submission, which respects those of parents and superiors; gratitude, which corresponds to benefactors; friendship, with which one honors friends; truthfulness, fidelity, civility, etc., with which one attends to the rights of others.
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SINS OPPOSITE TO JUSTICE are: theft, robbery, fraud, usury, unjust retention, unjust cooperation, violation of contracts, etc.Note: See Catholic Morals, No. 269 et seq.
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DAUGHTERS OF STRENGTH are: constancy, perseverance, patience, confidence, magnanimity which incites to do great things, and magnificence, which does not shrink before great expenses.
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VICES CONTRARY TO STRENGTH are: By excess: rashness, vainglory, and presumption. By defect: timidity, pusillanimity and inconstancy.
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VIRTUES CONTRARY TO TEMPERANCE are: continence or control of the passions, modesty, humility, meekness, clemency, eutrapelia or moderation in amusements which makes them more agreeable and profitable.
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VICES OPPOSITE TO TEMPERANCE are: intemperance, drunkenness, gluttony, lust, immodesty, anger, avarice, etc.
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[note: another reading:] Americanism.
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At the end of the 19th century some in America tried to classify the virtues into active and passive. They considered as active those virtues which demand activity and external effort, for example: the work of missionaries, charitable foundations, religious propaganda; and they called passive virtues those which have no external manifestations, and which, according to them, do not demand effort or activity, such as humility, meekness, resignation, mortification, etc.
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Consequently they despised the passive virtues, as improper, they said, for these times of progress and activity, and gave preference to the active virtues which are so necessary in our days.
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This is a manifest error, for although the acts of the passive virtues (humility, patience, interior mortification, etc.) are hidden, this does not mean that they require less effort, energy and even heroism to practice them. It is not for nothing that the ancient pagan philosophers used to say: To conquer oneself is the greatest of victories.
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This error, called Americanism, was condemned in 1899 by Leo XIII.
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According to the doctrine of the Church, the so-called passive virtues are as convenient and necessary today as they were in the past and will be in the future. The passive virtues have preeminence over the active virtues, since experience teaches that the efficacy and fruitfulness of the active virtues are proportional to the degree of intensity in which the passive virtues are practiced by those who dedicate themselves to works of zeal and exterior activities.
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Jesus Christ -Master and exemplar of all holiness in all times- said to the men of all centuries: Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart (S. Mat., XI, 29); and Christ does not change.
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It is all the more reason never to attribute to the natural virtues greater efficacy and fruitfulness than to the supernatural virtues
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TAKEN FROM INTERNET
The Deadly Sins or Capital Vices are those to which the fallen human nature is mainly inclined. It is very important for those who want to advance in Holiness to learn how to detect these trends in his own heart and examine himself about these sins.The Deadly Sins are listed by St. Thomas (I-II: 84:4) as seven:PrideGreedGluttonyLustSlothEnvyWrathSaint Bonaventure (Brevil., III, ix) lists the same. The number seven was given by Saint Gregory the Great (Lib. mor. in Job.) XXXI, xvii), and held for most of the Middle Age theologists. Previous authors listed 8 Deadly Sins: Saint Cyprian (mort., iv); Cassian (instit caenob., v, coll. 5, de octo principalibus vitiis); Columbanus ("Instr. de octo vitiis princip."in"library. Max. vet. Patr. "(, XII, 23);" Alcuin (virtut et vitiis, xxvii and ff.)The term "capital" does not refer to the magnitude of the sin, but to the fact that it gives that has an exceedingly desirable purpose in such a way that in his desire, a man commits many sins all of them originated in that vice as their main source".What is desired or rejected in a Deadly Sin can be material or spiritual, real or imaginary.PrideIt consists of a self-estimation, or improper self-love, which seeks attention and honor and puts a man in antagonism with God (Catholic Church Catechism, 1866)Overcoming Virtue: HumilityThe moral virtue by which man recognizes that he himself has emptiness and sin. Everything is a gift from God on whom we all depend on and who must receive all the glory. The humble man does not aspire to personal grandeur or the world’s recognition because he has discovered that being the son of God is a much higher value. He goes after other treasures. He is not in competition. He sees himself and others before God. He is thus free to estimate and devote himself to love and service.Humility is not only opposed to pride but also to the self-abjection (self-humiliation) in which the gifts of God and the responsibility of exercising them according to his will are not recognized.1.GreedThe inclination or disordered desire for having pleasures or possessions. It is one of the deadly sins; it is prohibited by the ninth and the tenth commandments. (CIC 2514, 2534)Overcoming Virtue: GenerosityGladly share what we with the poor and those in need.2.LustIt is a messed up desire for the sexual pleasure. Desires and acts are messy when they do not conform to God's purpose, which is to foster the mutual love between the spouses and encourage procreation.It is a sin against the sixth commandment and against the virtue of chastity.How to overcome lust:God blessed man and woman with mutual attraction. While they live under God's love, their hearts seek the divine love that is ordered to seek the good of the other above all. The pleasure then is a good thing but with not so much importance. In communion with God, we truly love and respect the other person as a son or daughter of God and do not see him/her as an object of pleasure. In the order of God, chastity must be recognized as a need for the love to be protected. It is necessary then to know and obey the sense which God has given to sexuality.But sin disturbs the attraction between man and woman as carnal desire tends to separate them from God's purpose and to master the mind and the heart. Lust grows the more we look for ourselves and forget about God. In this way the inferior (the carnal desire) dominates the upper (the heart that was created to love). When lust is not rejected with diligence, the subject falls prey of his own desires that end up dominating him.Lust is beaten when we keep a pure mind (which requires to keep away from looks, magazines, etc. that incite to lust) and dedicate all our energy to serve God and the others according to our vocation. If we take seriously our life in Christ, we can understand the serious damage caused by lust, and although being tempted, we will be willing to fight and suffer to free ourselves. An example is Saint Francis, who being tempted with lust, threw himself to a group of thorns. That way he managed to overcome the temptation.Overcoming Virtue: ChastityIt is the virtue that governs and moderates the desire for sexual pleasure according to the principles of faith and reason. By chastity, the person acquires domain of their sexuality and is able to integrate it into a healthy personality, in which the love of God reigns above all.3.WrathIs the emotional sense of dread and, generally, antagonism, prompted by a real or apparent damage. Anger can become passionate when emotions are strongly excited.Overcoming Virtue: PatienceSuffer with peace and serenity against all adversities."If you are looking for an example of patience you'll find the best of them on the cross. Two things are those that give us the measure of patience: suffer patiently great evils, or suffering, without shunning them, problems that could be avoided. Now, however, Christ on the cross suffered great evils and withstood them patiently, because in his passion "he did not utter any threats; as a lamb led to the slaughter, he muted and not opened his mouth" (Hch 8.32). Great was the patience of Christ on the cross: "Let us walk our road, without retreating, with fixed eyes in the one who began and completes our faith: Jesus, who, giving up immediate joy, endured the cross, despising the shame" (Heb 12.2)4.GluttonyIs the messy desire for the pleasure connected with food or drinking. This desire can be sinful in several ways:1. Eating or drinking very much in excess of what the body needs.2. Courting taste by some kind of food knowing it is harmful to health.3. Allow appetite for meals or drinks that are too expensive, especially when a luxurious diet is beyond the economic situation.4. Eating or drinking voraciously, giving more attention to the food that to those who accompany us.5. Drinking to the point of losing total control of the reason. Unjustified poisoning which ends in a complete loss of reason is a mortal sin.Overcoming Virtue: TemperanceModeration in eating and drinking is one of the virtues. It beats the Deadly Sin of gluttony.The virtue of temperance leads to avoid all kinds of excess, the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco and medicines. Those who being drunk, endanger the safety of others and their own on the road, at sea or in the air, are seriously guilty (CIC 2290).5. EnvyAnger or sadness by someone's good fortune along with the disordered desire to possess it. It is one of the seven deadly sins. It is opposed to the tenth commandment. (CIC 2539)Overcoming Virtue: CharityThe third and main of the theological virtues. Charity is the love of God living in our heart.6.SlothGuilty lack of physical or spiritual effort; idleness. It is one of the deadly sins. (CIC 1866, 2094, 2733)Overcoming Virtue: DiligencePromptness for doing good.