Few prayers are as powerful as the one uttered by the ill
boy’s father—“I do believe, help my
unbelief!” As daily
Mass goers, we all believe in Christ.
As sinners, we each have areas of our faith lives that can use
improving.
To
help in this quest, consider our rich tradition of focusing on growing in the
virtues as Catholics. We do so on
the human level with the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and
temperance. On the spiritual level
we strive to live out God’s gifts of faith, hope and love.
Each
of these virtues is a middle road of living well but has extremes. For example, courage is needed for our
lives, but the extremes of cowardice and rashness are inappropriate. Likewise, love is essential, but
indifference or hate must be avoided.
While
the virtues have extremes, they are never in excess. We can never have too much faith. We can never hope too much. We can never overdo love.
The father’s prayer suggests
that we all need to grow in the virtues.
While we are on the road, we must pray likewise: “Lord, I believe, help
my unbelief. Lord, I hope, but
help my despair. Lord, I love, but
help my not loving.”
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