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Category:
Religion
ISBN-10: 0692213074
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 166
Copyright: 2013
ISBN-13: 9780692213070
We are all called to become saints in the kingdom of God, but we must be open to receiving His gracious gifts through faithful and humble hearts. This book, written from a Roman Catholic perspective, is designed to help you grow in a new virtue each month as you journey with St. Lucy Filippini. Let her teach you the true meaning of justice, meekness, eutrapelia, and much, much more.
The Bible is full of stories about individuals who consider themselves too weak to do God's will. Think of the Apostles who lacked the courage to accompany Jesus to Calvary, despite everything they had seen and heard.
This book is designed to help readers grow in the virtuous life as they journey with the beloved Italian saint, Lucy Filippini. Through real-life examples, reflection questions, and practical suggestions, readers are encouraged to discover their weaknesses and enhance their strengths.
Clothed in Virtue describes three theological virtues and twelve moral virtues according to orthodox Catholic teaching in easy-to-understand language. Each virtue is explained in its own chapter and is illustrated with examples from the life of St. Lucy Filippini. The book also includes probing questions and hands-on activities to promote personal growth.
Excerpt
Most of us are familiar with the passage from Genesis that we have been created in God's image and likeness, but what does this mean, really? Does God have flesh and bones, fingers and toes, a nose? Yes and no. God has always existed. He made time itself! When we think of God in that sense--and it is a valid way to think of Him--we conceive of Him as spirit, something that our limited senses can't see or touch. When we think of God as Jesus--which is also a true way to think of Him--we think of the Second Person of the Trinity who became incarnate, who joined a human body and soul to His divine nature so that He could talk and walk and live among us.
So back to the original question: what does it mean to be created in God's image and likeness? If we answer this question in the first sense of God as spirit, then we understand that we were created with an intellect and a will, and we were also given the freedom to pursue our vocation in life, "to live for the praise of God's glory" (Eph. 1:12).
Unfortunately, from the very beginning, we used these gifts for the wrong reason: to do what we wanted to do rather than what God wanted us to do. To this day, because of the damage done by that original sin, we are still torn between performing virtuous acts (and so drawing closer to God) or of sinning (and turning away from Him toward something else). Fortunately, God has not abandoned us in our concupiscence (our tendency to sin). Instead, He has written His natural law on our hearts, and He makes that law very clear through the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. Leading a moral and virtuous life is simply our appropriate response toward God in thanksgiving for all He has done for us.
Every January, we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, the day that the Three Kings Casper, Melchior, and Balthasar, found the infant Jesus in a crib in Bethlehem and honored Him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. If only we had a miraculous star to guide us, as they did, to make our search for Christ so much easier.
What fools we are for thinking this way! The King of Kings, Christ himself, has come in search of us and, when He finds us, He presents us with gifts--faith, hope, and love. These virtues are infused into our souls at baptism and, if we accept them, will guide us home to eternal life in Heaven. Let's start by unwrapping the gift of faith.
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