The threefold obligation to virtue

December 11, 2021 • 1 min

From The Sinner’s Guide, page 394
By Venerable Louis of Granada

CHAPTER XL.

THREE KINDS OF VIRTUES IN WHICH THE FULNESS OF JUSTICE CONSISTS; AND, FIRST, MAN’S DUTY TO HIMSELF.

Section I.

Our Threefold Obligation to Virtue.

Having spoken at length of the sins which profane and degrade the soul, let us now turn to the virtues which elevate and adorn it with the spiritual treasures of justice.

It belongs to justice to render to every one his due: to God, to our neighbor, and to ourselves. If we faithfully acquit ourselves of these duties to God, to our neighbor, and to ourselves, we fulfil the obligations of justice and thus become truly virtuous.

To accomplish this great work let your heart be that of a son towards God, that of a brother towards your neighbor, and that of a judge towards yourself.

In this, the prophet tells us, the virtue of man consists: “I will show thee, O man! what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee: Verily, to do judgment, and to love mercy, and to walk solicitous with thy God.” [Micheas vi. 8.]

The duty of judgment is what man owes to himself; the duty of mercy what he owes to his neighbor; and to walk carefully before God is the duty he owes to his Creator.