A Sunday Thought About Being Willing to Attain Virtue

Willing to attain virtue seems simple enough, doesn't it? "I want to be virtuous." So you go ahead and trust in God and, voila, you're virtuous, right?

So now you're virtuous, you who before that intention either weren't or maybe weren't all that bad. You simply didn't go out of your way to attain and develop any of the virtues. But is stating your intention to be virtuous all that's needed here? Sure, God will grant you his grace; but there's that matter of cooperating with His grace, of course.

And here, in order to cooperate, it seems virtues need cultivating. At least that's what I've read. And the idea isn't just a Catholic one. It goes back to the Greeks, our forefathers in clear thinking and right living. Maybe it's kind of like how you learn any skill - physical, mental, spiritual. You get on it and keep at it until it "takes." There's no instant "voila."

There's lots of help here. For physical development, it comes in tons - books, videos, gyms, private instruction. You name it, it exists. For mental, well maybe not tons, buts lots of the similar sources, never mind all that formal (and maybe informal) schooling you got. As for spiritual, well, good Catholic spiritual writing abounds, as long as you know good sources. So where do we "locate" the "how to" of virtue?

No problem. The thing is, we know what's right. It's just a natural thing. There should be little confusion or hesitation about working on our virtue, especially those of us who either lack serious chunks of virtue, or where we're a bit weak.

Still, that initial intention is a pretty good first step.

Now here's some advice from Father John Grou. It should help us understand what's important in developing our virtues. Father lived back in the 18th century, over 200 years ago. But I think you'll agree his advice is fresh as fresh can be. 

What's special here is his distinction about our intention, something that comes from our "willing" it. We need to grasp the full meaning of what "willing" really is. And it's not simply "wishing." It's got to be a "good will."

“The first means of attaining virtue, which seems the most easy, and is in reality the most difficult, is to will it; but with a sincere, entire, efficacious, and constant will. And oh how rare is this good will! We imagine we will a thing, but in truth and reality we do not will it at all. We may have desires, longings, purposes, wishes; but that is not having a strong and determined will. We wish to be devout, but in our own way, up to a certain point, and provided it does not cost us too much. We wish, and we are contented with wishing. We do not carry our wishes into practice; we are discouraged as soon as it is necessary to put our hand to the work, to overcome obstacles or set them aside, to fight against our faults, to struggle with nature and all its evil propensities. We wish today perhaps; we begin gravely, but alas! Our energies are soon relaxed. We undertake, and then we give up. We do not wish to see that everything depends upon perseverance.” (Father John Grou, S.J., 1731-1803)

This distinction between "willing" vs. "wishing" is crucial. A good will isn't some smiley, have-a-nice-day sort of thing. It takes work - persistent work. It's tough as nails.

When the angels sang "Peace to men of good will" the night Jesus was born, they knew whom they were addressing. If we can understand and cultivate good will ourselves, we can be one of those folks.

Happy Sunday!