By DON FIER
An underlying principle that sums up why the gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary for the attainment of eternal life is that the natural instincts of mind and will — even elevated by the infused theological and moral virtues — cannot always cope with critical situations or problems that present themselves during life’s journey.
As expressed by Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ, “They do not, by themselves, so perfect a man on the road to heaven that he has no further need of being moved by the yet higher promptings of the Holy Spirit” (The Catholic Catechism [TCC], p. 200).
It is only through an immediate, consensual response to the illuminations and impulses of the Holy Spirit that one can spontaneously act rightly when time for reflection is unavailable.
As we saw last week, this principle can be seen to apply to the cardinal virtue of prudence, which is perfected and elevated by counsel, the third gift of the Holy Spirit as enumerated by the Prophet Isaiah (see Isaiah 11:1-3). When actuated, this supernatural gift enables a person to discern promptly and with total certainty — by means of a kind of supernatural intuition — what is most fitting to do in view of eternal life, especially in seemingly impossible situations.
“Through the gift of counsel,” says Dom Anscar Vonier, OSB, “the Christian enters into the secret ways of God; unknowingly yet unerringly he will choose in the practical contingencies of the spiritual life, ways that will lead to eternal salvation” (The Spirit and the Bride, p. 137). In a manner of speaking, one’s mind is opened to follow the perfect prudence of God.
We now turn our attention to the fourth gift of the Holy Spirit, that of fortitude. Readers who received Confirmation prior to the Second Vatican Council may recall having experienced a conspicuous sign of that gift during the sacrament’s conferral: The bishop applied a light slap on the cheek as a reminder that he or she was now a soldier of Christ.
That slap served as a distinctive indication that following our Lord in a world hostile to Christian values, a world in which many openly despise the mission and truth as proclaimed by the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, requires a supernatural courage that far surpasses our natural ability.
Fr. Jordan Aumann, OP, defines fortitude as the gift of the Holy Spirit that enables a Christian “to overcome difficulties or to endure pain and suffering with the strength and power infused by God” (Spiritual Theology [SpT], p. 97). Just as the virtue of prudence is perfected by the gift of counsel, the gift of fortitude perfects the infused moral virtue of fortitude. As Fr. Hardon explains, “Fortitude as a gift goes beyond fortitude as a virtue by carrying to successful conclusion even the most difficult tasks in the service of God” (TCC, p. 204).
Perhaps one of the most magnificent displays of the gift of fortitude recorded in Sacred Scripture was exemplified by St. Stephen as he joyfully accepted martyrdom in His witness to Christ: “Full of the Holy Spirit, [Stephen] gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God…[and] prayed ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit’” (Acts 7:55, 59). One who submits to martyrdom for the truths of the faith, teaches the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), “endures death through an act of fortitude” (n. 2473).
It was only through the gift of fortitude that the early-second-century martyr St. Ignatius of Antioch was able to fearlessly proclaim: “Let me become the food of the beasts, through whom it will be given me to reach God” (Ad Rom. 4, 1).
Since the infused moral virtue of fortitude and the supernatural gift of fortitude are so closely related, it would be good to momentarily reflect on the virtue before proceeding. Along with prudence, justice, and temperance, fortitude is one of the four cardinal virtues on which all the other virtues hinge.
As defined by the Catechism, it is “the moral virtue that ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good. It strengthens the resolve to resist temptations and to overcome obstacles in the moral life. The virtue of fortitude enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death, and to face trials and persecutions. It disposes one even to renounce and sacrifice his life in defense of a just cause” (n. 1808).
The virtue of fortitude, when practiced on a consistent basis during the course of one’s life, serves to cultivate a disposition willing to face hard tasks without undue fear, especially tasks that involve danger. It strengthens one’s will to follow prudent reason despite the requirement of difficult work or even the possibility of bodily harm.
On the other hand, since virtue seeks the mean between extremes, fortitude also moderates the desire to engage in rash or hasty actions that are inappropriate for the situation. “Fortitude,” says St. Thomas Aquinas, “is about fear and daring, as curbing fear and moderating daring” (Summa Theologiae [STh] II-II, Q. 123, art. 3).
How, then, does the gift of fortitude perfect the virtue of fortitude? According to Fr. Hardon, it gives to the will “an impulse and an energy which renders it capable of suffering joyfully and intrepidly, and of accomplishing great projects and overcoming all obstacles. It differs from the virtue of courage because it does not originate with our powers aided by grace, but from a powerful action of the Holy Spirit which attracts the soul from on high, withdraws it from the dark atmosphere of earth, and makes it master of the lower faculties and of external difficulties encountered during laborious tasks” (Basic Catholic Catechism Course, p. 131).
It gives one the ability to enjoy a full and unshakable confidence in the strength of God — that He will see us through the terrors and vicissitudes of life to the eternal joy of Heaven.
Fr. Hardon identifies two forms of courage that are implied by the gift of fortitude, both of which are necessary for salvation but yet quite distinct: 1) to undertake arduous tasks and 2) to endure long and trying difficulties for the purpose of divine glory.
The first is a type of “active” courage which navigates through formidable obstacles in entering a course of action, a vocation, an apostolate, etc., with a quiet confidence in God’s Providence to provide the grace to overcome all adversity. It is characterized by “a dauntless spirit of resolution, firmness of mind, and an indomitable will” (TCC, p. 204).
The second type manifests itself in an expression of “passive” courage that is encountered by one who must endure a long and painful illness for which there is no natural hope for recovery, or by one who is besieged by unexpected trials, persecution, and external failure — a type of white martyrdom. It can occur for anyone who struggles with constant temptations despite his or her best efforts to combat them.
It is a type of fortitude, says Fr. Hardon, that “perseveres in the practice of virtue and unflinchingly carries on in spite of oppressive odds” (ibid.).
As we have seen to be the case with all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, fortitude is associated with one of the beatitudes (the fourth) by St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [justice], for they shall be satisfied” (Matt. 5:6).
“Fortitude is about difficult things,” says St. Thomas. “It is very difficult, not merely to do virtuous deeds, which receive the common designation of works of justice, but furthermore to do them with an insatiable desire, which may be signified by hunger and thirst for justice” (STh II-II, Q. 139, art. 2).
The Angelic Doctor goes on to identify patience (to endure evils) and longanimity (to endure long delays in the accomplishment of good) as fruits of the gift of fortitude.
Heroism
Why are the gifts of fortitude (and counsel) necessary for perseverance in the state of grace, and thus for eternal salvation? Fr. Aumann posits the following: “By the very fact that some temptations are sudden and unexpected, while the operation of the virtues of prudence and fortitude is usually slow and discursive, one will need the prompt intervention of the gifts of counsel and fortitude” (SpT, p. 312).
He goes on to list five benefits which accompany the gift of fortitude: 1) it equips the soul with unyielding vigor in the practice of virtue; 2) it overcomes all tepidity in the service of God — it is a remedy against the noxious affliction of lukewarmness; 3) it makes the soul fearless in the face of all dangers and enemies; 4) it enables souls to endure unimaginable sufferings with patience and joy; and 5) it gives to the soul the quality of heroism in the great trials of life and constancy in the performance of all the mundane duties in one’s state of life (cf. SpT, pp. 312-314).
Are there unique ways to strengthen the gift of fortitude (in addition to the general means of prayer, recollection, and fidelity to grace)? Fr. Aumann proposes the following: 1) fulfill all one’s duties despite natural repugnance; 2) never ask God to remove a cross, but rather for the grace to carry it out; and 3) cultivate the practice of voluntary mortification out of love for God and for the salvation of souls. Put aside self-love and assiduously strive to offer a complete gift of self (cf. SpT, pp. 314-315).
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(Don Fier serves on the board of directors for The Catholic Servant, a Minneapolis-based monthly publication. He and his wife are the parents of seven children. Fier is a 2009 graduate of Ave Maria University’s Institute for Pastoral Theology. He is doing research for writing a definitive biography of Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ.)
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