377. What is a virtue?
(Comp 377) A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good. “The goal
of a virtuous life is to become like God” (Saint Gregory of Nyssa). There are
human virtues and theological virtues.
“In brief”
(CCC 1833)
Virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do good.
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 1803) "Whatever is true,
whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy
of praise, think about these things" (Phil 4:8). A virtue is an habitual
and firm disposition to do the good. It allows the person not only to perform
good acts, but to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward
the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses
it in concrete actions. The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God (St.
Gregory of Nyssa, De beatitudinibus,
1: PG 44, 1200D).
Reflection
(CCC 1768)
Strong feelings are not decisive for the morality or the holiness of persons;
they are simply the inexhaustible reservoir of images and affections in which
the moral life is expressed. Passions are morally good when they contribute to
a good action, evil in the opposite case. The upright will orders the movements
of the senses it appropriates to the good and to beatitude; an evil will
succumbs to disordered passions and exacerbates them. Emotions and feelings can
be taken up into the virtues or
perverted by the vices.
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