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Lesson 13
Developing Virtue as a Habit

Nature of virtue
Virtue is described as a “good habit” while vice is described as a “bad
habit”. Since virtues are habits they are not inborn. They must be developed by
constant practice just like habits. There are two ways to develop virtue: one is the
spiritual way and the other is the natural way. The spiritual way suggests that we
pray in order to acquire virtue. Praying is a good habit.
On the other hand, the natural way requires constant doing of good things
until it becomes a habit. So, to develop virtue or to develop a virtuous life we
must pray and do good at all times. But there are many virtues such as honesty,
piety, generosity, fidelity, charity to name a few. Must we practice or develop all
of these in order to lead a virtuous life? No. Be charitable at heart and all other
virtues will follow because Christ teaches that to love is the first commandment.
In (Matthew 22:37-40), a Pharisee asked Jesus this question: “Teacher
which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus answered: “Love the
Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This
is the greatest and the most important commandment. The second most
important commandment is like it: Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
There is a type of love called agape. It is love of compassion, wishing the
good of others for their own sake without expecting anything in return. It never
intends to use a person as a thing or an object. This kind of love moves beyond
human limitations, extending even to one’s enemies. “Love your enemies and
pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in
heaven…” (Matthew 5:44)
Love our enemies? But how can we love those who harmed us? How? The
answer is: “Don’t think bad things about your enemy. (Don’t think of him or her
aron dili ka maglagot.) Don’t say bad things about your enemy. Not a word. Don’t
do bad things to your enemy.” Is this impossible to do? No.
There are episodes in our lives which compel us to ask about love of
“neighbors”. For instance, we ask: Is it love when we make “tsismis” about our
classmates or teachers? Is it love when we bear false witness against our
“neighbors”? (Mo spread tag wicked and fake news thru social media pa gyud.)
Is it love when you hurt or insult your friends under the guise of a practical joke?
Just think about it.
Charity or love for others is best measured by the sacrifice one is willing to
give. So what kind of sacrifice that proves the reality of our love for others? In
other words, what is the test of love in ordinary life? Experience tells us that it is
money or anything related to money that hurts people most. Thus, when you give
up some money or property for another person without any ulterior motive,
without expecting any return, even if you too are as needy as the other person,
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you do it for real love – that’s pure charity. Jack London said: “A bone to the dog
is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as
hungry as the dog.”
One of the noble acts of charity is by adopting a poor child for scholarship.
Let us just suppose that in the Philippines there are 200 billionaires, 10,000
millionaires and 50,000 “thousand-naires”. If each of these very rich people will
adopt just one scholar from grade school to college there will be 60,200 poor
pinoy children who are assured of a better future. Can you imagine how beautiful
our beloved country would be?
Can you imagine if all the billionaires and millionaires and all the rich
people in the whole world would adopt a poor child as a scholar?
Louis Armstrong sings:

And I think to myself

What a wonderful world…
Yes, I think to myself
What a wonderful world!!!

Many Christians today are giving little attention to charity either individual
or social charity. But our Christian duty dictates that we should devote more of
our time with the poor because love of neighbor must not remain abstract; it must
be concrete. More than giving of things and money, charity is the sharing of what
we are, what we have, of our time and of our capability to help.
Unfortunately, there are many so-called Christians who act as if acts of
charity could cover up for their wicked deeds. Pope Francis said: “People who go
to church on Sundays, but spend the rest of the week cultivating their attachment
to money, power and pride are ‘”pagan Christians” (Bag-ong Lungsoranon
November 16, 2014 page 1). They think they can secure God’s blessings by
giving so-called generous contributions and dole-outs but coming from unjust and
unkind hearts. De la Serna wrote:

“…with all the ugly and un-Christian things we see

happening around us, we begin to doubt whether we have ever
been Christians in our lives. We doubt whether we are able, at
least, to live as Christians. In many instances, Christianity was
really hypocrisy. For how many times have we done the Christian
things from un-Christian hearts? We can afford to appear as
Christians on certain days and live as pagans on other days. We
can even afford to continue our way of paganism under the guise
of Christian living! Hypocrisy has apparently become
synonymous with a certain brand of Christianity, that type of
Christianity, which has become the beauty of the ugliness in us.
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I would rather see some ugliness in beauty than accept the

beauty of ugliness. For while the former attitude can bring
repentance to the heart, the latter signifies the hardening of a
heart.”

Hence, a question arises as to whether salvation is possible for a

Christian, who remains uncaring to the needs of his/her “neighbors.” For
example, can a person who goes to Mass and receives Communion, but does
nothing to the poor people whom he/she meets on the way to church gain
salvation? Can a prominent so-called philanthropist-businessman who donates
thousands of pesos to his church and builds sitio chapels but ignores the plea of
his employees for right compensation of work or reasonable salary increase, gain
salvation? The answer can be found in the Gospel of St. Matthew 25: 31- 46.
Read it.
One day I came to my office very early. None of my working students was
there. I turned on the computer and typed in the password 5724. To my surprise I
was denied access to the computer. I typed in the same combination for the
second time but failed. I wondered what happened until a working student
arrived. She typed in 4275. It was then that I remembered we changed the
password for security reason. I was denied access to the computer because I
used the wrong password, the reverse number combination. To many of us, we
know the way to salvation, the right combination, the right password so to speak.
The Gospel of St. Matthew 25:31-46 clearly teaches us how. But if we go in
reverse direction, that is, we live against justice and charity we do not attain
salvation. If we continue living like pagans under the guise of Christian living that
is hypocrisy. And hypocrisy does not make us true Christians. It’s the wrong
combination; incorrect password to salvation.
Development of a virtue
At the beginning of this lesson it is said that virtues must be developed by
constantly doing good deeds. But, our passions may impair this development.
Therefore, it is a must to control passions. Parents can truly help their children
develop virtue if they urge and train them to control their bad desires, their bad
habits. In case of the adults, they still have to work hard to control their passions.
Certainly, the habitual control of our passions renders the practice of virtue easier
and more efficient.
Fortunately, Aristotle offers an idea on how we might become more
virtuous. He suggests that we should develop practical wisdom and the best
way to develop it is by looking at the actions of virtuous people. Let’s learn from
them.
I may sound very awkward or even weird but, I strongly suggest read some
lives of the saints…It will help.
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