22

the Ez 7,20-21

with the disgrace. There was a certain rich Lu 16,19, 1s 3, 16-17 Because the daughters of man who was clothed in Sion are haughty and have purple and fine linen and walked with stretched-out feasted sumptuously every necks, and wanton glances of day.-The rich man died, and their eyes, and made a noise he was buried in hell. as they walked with their They have turned feet, and moved in a set ornament of their jewels pace, The Lord will make into pride, and have made of bald the crown of the head it the images of their abomiof the daughter of Sion, and nations and idols: therefore the Lord will discover their I have made it an uncleanhair. ness to them. And I will Having food and where- give it into the hands of with to be covered, with strangers for spoil, and to these we are content. the wicked of the earth for are a prey, and they shall defile it. are Be strengthened in the Ep 6, 10 Lord.

1 Ti 6, 8

Mt 11,8

Behold, they that clothed in soft garments in the houses of kings.

(See Prodigality and Luxury.)

PART IX.

FORTITUDE AND THE VIRTUES

CONNECTED

WITH IT, AND THE CONTRARY VICES.

"IT pertains to virtue to make man good and to make his conduct be in accordance with Reason. Now this can be brought about in three ways. Either (1) the Reason itself is rectified-and this is the work of the Intellectual Virtues; or (2) Right Reason is carried out in social life-and this is the work of Justice; or (3) the impediments, which would prevent the carrying out of Right Reason, are removed. Now the human will can be impeded from carrying out Right Reason in two ways. Either (1) the will is drawn by sensible pleasure to what is prohibited by Reason-and this impediment is removed by Temperance; or (2) the will is repelled, from what Reason requires, by the difficulties that attend it—and this impediment is removed by Fortitude." The difficulties, which would prevent

*Sum. Theol., sec. sec. q. 123. a. 1.

the carrying out of Right Reason, may be (1) evils
which we are called upon to endure, or (2) evils which
we are called upon to attack. Since Virtue lies in the
golden mean, Fortitude not only provides the courage
needed to endure, but also tempers the courage needed
for onslaught, lest it degenerate into rashness. Forti-
tude prevents the will from suffering any evils, be they
great or be they trifling, to divert it from Right Reason.
Nevertheless, since, as Aristotle says, "Virtue is to be
measured by perfect acts," Fortitude proper exists only
where there is a readiness to encounter the greatest evils
rather than deflect from Right Reason. And thus, since
the greatest of physical evils is death, Fortitude is
primarily concerned with the risks of death, and only
secondarily with inferior risks. The potential parts and
secondary forms of Fortitude, or the Virtue which act
in the face of inferior evils as Fortitude does in the face
of death, are Magnanimity, Magnificence, Patience, and
Perseverance. Just as Fortitude surrenders life, so
Magnanimity surrenders honour, and Magnificence *
surrenders wealth, rather than fall short of the demands
of Reason. Patience triumphs over the sadness which
Misfortune, even when incurred in the pursuit of Virtue,
would naturally produce; and Perseverance keeps the
field no matter how long the difficulties which attend
Virtue may endure.

1.- FORTITUDE ILLUSTRATED BY EXAMPLES.

Da 3,17-18 Behold our God, Whom thee, O king, that we will we worship, is able to save us not worship thy gods, nor from the furnace of burning adore the golden statue fire, and to deliver us out of which thou hast set up.

thy hands, O king.-But if It is better for me [said Da 13, 23 He will not, be it known to Susanna] to fall into your

*The "magnificent" man is, according to Cicero, the man who is not afraid to spend money freely in a good cause; and Aristotle says that the noblest expendi ture is that which is made in the Divine Service. May the heavens open and the clouds rain down a few magnificent men!

a

hands without doing it than ready to break through not to sin in the sight of the only men, but also the Lord. fiercest beasts, and walls of 1M9,9-10 They dissuaded him iron.-So they went on [Judas Machabeus], saying: courageously, having We shall not be able, but let Helper from Heaven, and us save our lives now, and the Lord Who showed mercy return to our brethren, and to them.-And rushing then we will fight against violently upon the enemy, them; for we are but few.-like lions, they slew of them Then Judas said: God for- eleven thousand footmen and bid we should do this thing, one thousand six hundred and flee away from them: horsemen. but if our time be come, let| Joseph of Arimathea, a Mk 15, 43 us die manfully for our noble counsellor, who brethren, and let us not also himself looking for the stain our glory. Kingdom of God, came and 2 Ma 11,9- Then they all together went in boldly to Pilate, and blessed the merciful Lord, begged the Body of Jesus.

11

Is 44, 5

2 M7, 2

Je 26, 14

15

was

and took great courage, being Take courage and be valiant. Dt 31, 7

2.-CONSTANCY OF THE MARTYRS.

One shall say: I am the slain for the Word of God,
Lord's, and another shall and for the testimony which
call himself by the name of they held.-And they cried
Jacob, and another shall with a loud voice, saying:
subscribe with his hand to How long, O Lord (Holy
the Lord, and surname and True), dost Thou not
himself by the name of judge and revenge Our
Israel.
blood on them that dwell on

What wouldst thou ask, or the earth?
learn of us? We are ready Thy dead men shall live, Is 26, 19
to die rather than to trans- my slain shall rise again:
gress the laws of God, awake, and give praise, ye
received from our fathers. that dwell in the dust: for

Behold, I am in your thy dew is the dew of the hands do with me what is light: and the land of the good and right in your eyes: giants thou shalt pull down -But know ye, and under- into ruin. stand, that if ye put me to Whosoever shall confess Lu 12, 8-9 death, you will shed inno-Me before men, him shall cent blood against your own the Son of Man also confess selves and against this City, before the Angels of God.and the inhabitants thereof. But he that shall deny Me For in truth the Lord sent before men, shall be denied me to you, to speak all these before the Angels of God. words in your hearing. Amen, amen, I say to you, Jn 12, 24Ap6, 9-10 I saw under the Altar the unless the grain of wheat souls of them that were falling into the ground, die,

25

W 3,4-5

itself remaineth alone.-But their hope is full of immor-
if it die, it bringeth forth tality. Afflicted in few
much fruit. He that loveth things, in many they shall be
his life shall lose it; and he well rewarded.
that hateth his life in this These are they who are Ap 7, 14
world, keepeth it unto Life come out of great tribulation,
Eternal.
and have washed their robes,
Though in the sight of and have made them white
men they suffered torments, in the Blood of the Lamb.

3.-WORDS OF THE SEVEN MACHABEAN BROTHERS
TO ANTIOCHUS THEIR MOTHER'S WORDS
OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

1.-ST. MACHABEE.

thee, thou shalt have no

2 M7,2, 6 What wouldst thou ask or Resurrection unto Life.

2 M7,2-9

2 M7, 11

2 M7, 14

5.-ST. ACHAZ.

17

learn of us? We are ready
to die rather than to trans-
gress the laws of God re- Whereas thou hast power 2 M 7, 16-
ceived from our fathers.-among men, though thou
The Lord God will look upon art corruptible, thou dost
the truth, and will take what thou wilt: but think
pleasure in us, as Moses not that our nation is for-
declared in the profession of saken by God.-But stay
the Canticle and in His ser- patiently a while, and thou
vants He will take pleasure. shalt see His great power,
in what manner He will tor-
ment thee and thy seed.

:

2.-ST. ABEL.

6.-ST. ARETH.

I will not do it.-Thou
indeed, O most wicked
mn, destroyest us out of
tais present life: but
King of the world will these things for ourselves,
raise us up, who die for His having sinned against our
laws, in the Resurrection of God, and things worthy of
Eternal Life.

Be not deceived with- 2 M7, 18the out cause: for we suffer

3.-ST, MACHIR.

admiration are done to us.-
But do not think that thou
shalt escape unpunished, for

These [tongue and hands] that thou hast attempted to
I have from Heaven, but for fight against God.
the laws of God I now despise
them because I hope to re-
ceive them again from Him.

7.-ST. JACOB.

29

For whom do you stay? 12 M 7, 30will not obey the command- 38 4. ST. JUDAS. ment of the king, but the It is better being put to commandment of the law, death by men, to look for which was given us by Moses. hope from God, to be raised-But thou that hast been up again by Him: for as to the author of all mischief

Pv 16, 32

1 C 13,4 Ja 1, 3

Ro 5,3

8.-ST. SALOME.
Her words to her seven

sons.

23

against the Hebrews shalt
not escape the hand of God. (1)
-For we suffer thus for our
sins. And though the Lord I know not how you 2 M7, 22-
our God is angry with us a were formed in my womb,
little while for our chastise- for I neither gave you breath,
ment and correction: yet He nor soul, nor life, neither
will be reconciled again to did I frame the limbs of
His servants.-But thou, O every one of you.-But the
wicked, and of all men most Creator of the world, that
flagitious, be not lifted up formed the nativity of man,
without cause with vain and that found out the
hopes, whilst thou art rag- origin of all, He will restore
ing against His servants.-to you again in His mercy,
For thou hast not yet escaped both breath and life, as now
the judgment of the Almighty you despise yourselves for
God, Who beholdeth all the sake of His laws.

things. For my brethren, (2) Her words to Jacob, her
having now undergone a
youngest son.

29

short pain, are under the My son, have pity upon 2 M 7, 27-
Covenant of Eternal Life: but me, that bore thee nine
thou by the judgment of months in my womb, and
God shalt receive just pun- gave thee suck three years,
ishment for thy pride.-But and nourished thee, and
I, like my brethren, offer up brought thee up unto this
my life and my body for the age.-I beseech thee, my son,
laws of our fathers, calling look upon heaven and earth,
upon God to be speedily and all that is in them: and
merciful to our nation, and consider that God made
that thou by torments and them out of nothing, and
stripes mayst confess that mankind also:-So thou

He alone is God.-But in shalt not fear this tormentor,
me and in my brethren the but being made a worthy
wrath of the Almighty, partner with thy brethren,
which hath justly been receive death, that in that
brought upon all our nation, mercy I may receive thee
shall cease.
lagain with thy brethren.

4.-FORTITUDE AND CHARITY; ROOTS OF

CHARITY WHICH SPRING UP UNDER ADVERSITY.
The patient man is better No man should be moved 173,3
than the valiant: and he in these tribulations: for

that ruleth his spirit, than yourselves know, that we are
he that taketh cities.

Charity is patient.
[Know] that the trying of
your faith worketh patience.
Tribulation worketh pa-

tience.

appointed thereunto.

All that will live godly in 2 Ti3, 12 Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.

Dearly beloved, think not 1 Pt4, 12 strange the burning heat