Fortitude

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Fortitude

• Lecture 6
• Readiness to die for the greater good.

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Fortitude

• Fortitude
• To love and realize that which is good in the
  face of injury and death.
• The skill, the power, to do what is right and
  good even when we have strong desires or feelings
  against it.
• Cowardice
• A person who lacks the courage to do or endure
  dangerous or unpleasant things.
• Traditionally
• What made a man willing to fight or even die in
  defending something that he loved - the greater
  good.
• Soldiers (physical)
• Us (spiritual)

3
Vulnerability

• Vulnerability To be able to suffer injury and
  death.
• Not for ones own sake.
• Is to preserve or to acquire a greater good.

• Angels
• Cannot be brave because they are not vulnerable.

• Humans
• Can be brave because we are vulnerable.
• What are we vulnerable to?
• Injury
• Death

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Injury

• Lesser
• Every assault or violation of our inner peace.
• Everything that happens to us against our will.
• Everything in any way negative
• Painful
• Harmful
• Frightening
• Oppressive

• Greater
• Death
• All other injuries are prefigurations of death.

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Readiness to Die

• All injuries lead to death
• Every injury to the natural being is fatal in its
  intention thus every courageous action has as its
  deepest root the readiness to die.
• Martyrdom
• Literally means witness.

• Readiness
• Readiness to shed ones blood for the greater
  good.
• To die for Christ rather than to sin gravely.

• Enthusiasm
• Seeking ways to die for the greater good.
• Try to find ways to die for Christ.

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In medio stat virtus

• Foolhardiness
• Recklessly bold or rash.
• We dont have a proper concern or awareness for
  danger.
• The foolish man who runs into danger that could
  have been avoided.

• Cowardice
• Lack of bravery
• We refuse to take a prudent risk or sacrifice
  because of fear.
• We cannot obtain a good if we are afraid of a
  risk. With every good will come a sacrifice.
• We must not give up a greater good because we are
  afraid of losing a lesser good.

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Fear

• Fear is Good
• God gave us fear - it is a passion.
• To overcome fear
• Not eradicate
• Is allowing fear its proper place in our lives
• Brave person will experience fear
• They value the thing that is being risked.
• However they love the thing they are pursuing
  more than the thing being risked.

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Hierarchy

• What do we value most?
• This is what you are willing to pursue above all
  else.
• This is your greatest good.
• Priorities
• If we pursue a lesser good at the expense of a
  greater good then we do not have courage.
• God is the prime good that we must focus on.
• We must do whatever it takes to possess him fully
  and never lose our union with him.

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Scripture and Prayer

• Mt 1344-45
• How are these parables about courage?
• Mt 1916-22
• How is this parable about cowardice?
• One there is that is good.
• When the man heard this he went away sorrowful.
• Deep Prayer
• We must apply this virtue to our pursuit of
  prayer.
• Perseverance
• Continue to pray even when you do not feel like
  it!

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Two Forms

• Attack
• Is it un-Christian to attack?
• One cannot be Christ-like unless they have holy
  anger.
• Jesus and the money-changers
• Anger is a God-given passion.
• We must be fed-up and angry
• Abortion
• Injustices
• Love the sinner, hate the sin.

• Endurance
• Holy patience
• Sometimes the only viable option is to suffer and
  endure the trial that is before us.
• It is the greatest test of fortitude. Why?
• It is our last option, it is the greatest extent
  of fortitude.
• How do we know when to attack and when to endure?
• Prudence and Justice
• Optimism vs Pessimism
• Hope vs Despair

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