It is never too late; a conversation on virtue
“A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard” (Mk 12:1-2).
It is a captivating story and one we all know quite well; but how deeply does the message pervade our lives?
In the parable, a man entrusts his whole estate to tenants in hopes of gaining some profit from their stewardship. But as we read on, they never even attempt to produce fruit of any sort. The vineyard keepers only resort to violence. “So, too, many others; some they beat, others they killed” (12:5). And each encounter gets worse and worse until finally “He will come, put the tenants to death, and give the vineyard to others” (12:9). So, too, will He deal with us if we avoid attending to the vineyard of our souls.
Interior Cultivation
Yet do not fret. St. Peter gives us a clear tool to help begin this interior cultivation: virtue. “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue” (2 Pt 1:5). The Apostle continues with a laundry list of virtues to practice: “Virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love” (1:5-7).
If we take it a step further, we will discover that every saint’s life ties itself tightly to the practice of great virtue. Notice, too, that the man in the parable wanted the tenants to bear fruit. “I appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last” (Jn 15:16). And virtue is never a bad place to start in this endeavor. “Virtue allows the person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions” (CCC, 1803).
Practice of Virtue
One wise man broke down his virtue practice into the four cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance) and the three theological virtues (faith, hope, and charity). From there, he chose one virtue to practice for six to eight weeks. At each stage, he had read voraciously on the subject and then found tangible opportunities in his life to put the virtue into practice. By the end of the year, he had attempted at least every virtue.
But if our friend’s method feels a little archaic, try the prayer, sacrifice, and action approach. It is a simple formula. Make time every day for prayer (i.e. meditation, Mass, adoration); mortify the flesh and ego (i.e. bite the tongue, give up a small preference at mealtimes, etc.); and take action (i.e. call a friend, complain less and be grateful more, create interesting conversation for others).
Plus, we have supernatural help. “In you, my God, I place my trust.” We cannot do it alone — “without me you can do nothing.” Virtue supplements faith (2 Pt 1:2); it does not replace it.
God created a beautiful vineyard. Let us be ready to share the produce with him. Pick a little virtue with Him and start.
— It is never too late.
[Readings: 2 Pt 1:2-7; Mk 12:1-12]
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