February 2022
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The Four Temperaments
The pattern of inclinations and reactions that proceed from the physiological constitution of the individual. Something permanent that admits of only secondary modification. (OUR WIRING.) Sanguine Temperament Reacts quickly and strongly to almost any stimulation or impression Reaction is usually of short duration Remembrance of past experiences does not easily arouse a new response. Usually Continue reading
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How to Have a Fruitful Lent
by Helen Young Lent From the USSCB: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence. For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is Continue reading
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Lenten Disciplines
This is the last Sunday before we start the season of Lent. Ash Wednesday is this Wednesday. If we have not already been thinking about them, we need to think about the Lenten disciplines of prayer, almsgiving, and fasting that we will begin in a few days. The scripture for today directs our minds to Continue reading
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Vainglory
The desire for glory when glory is due to God alone, hence vain (empty) glory. St. Thomas’ three ways glory can be vain the things for which one seeks glory are vain or petty – WRONG THINGS the persons from whom one seeks glory are uncertain or lacking in judgment – WRONG PEOPLE the end Continue reading
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Melancholy/Sloth
Sloth seeks undue rest in so far as it spurns the Divine good Sloth is not an aversion of the mind from any spiritual good, but from the Divine good, to which the mind is obliged to adhere. He is sorry to have to do something for God’s sake. Evil in itself (sadness in reaction Continue reading
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Anger/Wrath
Unreasoned anger, willing injury or damage to the object of one’s anger, unreasoned either due to the object of the anger or the mode of the anger. Scriptural/Doctoral “Let all indignation and anger be put away from you.” Ephesians 4:31 St. Gregory: “zealous anger troubles the eye of reason, whereas sinful anger blinds it.” Daughters Continue reading
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Envy
Sorrow for another person’s good. (Looking at things the wrong way.) A spirit of competitiveness rather than brotherly love. The object of both charity and envy is our neighbor’s good, but by contrary movements, since charity rejoices in our neighbor’s good, while envy grieves over it. Scriptural/Doctoral “self-inflicted pain wounds the pining spirit, which is Continue reading
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Avarice/Covetousness
Inordinate love of possessing external goods that are useful for an end but are not ends in and of themselves. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.” (Ex 20:17) It is excessive love of possessing riches. Remembering that the goodness of things relates to a due (just) measure, evil results from either an excess or Continue reading
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Lust
Inordinate desire, especially venereal pleasures. The order of reason consists in its ordering everything to its end in a fitting manner. When the lower powers are strongly moved towards their objects, the result is that the higher powers (reason and will) are hindered and disordered in their acts. Scriptural/Doctoral it is listed among the “works Continue reading
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Gluttony
Inordinate desire for physical pleasures. Can be deadly (to our immortal souls) when a person lets his concupiscible appetite run amok to the point that the pleasures of gluttony become his end and he will disobey God to obtain those pleasures. Can be something other than simply too much: “Hastily, sumptuously, too much, greedily, daintily.” Continue reading
Bound in Love 