Fortitude is the cardinal virtue that ensures that we stay strong when we face difficulties and allows us to always try to do what is good. It gives us the courage to strive to live a Christian life and to follow our conscience and to do what is right and moral even when it is hard for us to do so. The virtue of fortitude enables us to stand strong in what we believe is right and it helps us to resist temptation and to overcome obstacles that prevent us from living a good and moral life. Fortitude enables us to make sacrifices and to overcome our fears of criticism, failure, disappointment, rejection, and even death as we attempt to do what is right and to defend a just cause. Fortitude gives us the courage to resist the demand of our peers to do what we know is wrong.
“In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Jn 16:33.
This virtue is called for during many situations in our lives. It called for when: Subject to peer pressure to do something you know is wrong. When people try to stand in the way of you doing what you think is right. When you are trying to complete a task that you find difficult to do. To overcome fear and do the right thing. To overcome criticism. To overcome rejection and disappointment. Defending the rights of the unborn even though he knows he may lose his position in the cabinet.Not cheating on a test and get a lower mark even though ever one else is cheating and getting a higher mark than you.
Some examples of the Virtues Fortitude in people are:
Saint Sebastian was a captain in the Roman army. When he heard of Jesus he knew that Jesus was the one he wanted to follow. The mayor of Rome did not believe in Jesus and called Sebastian to him but after listening to Sebastian he began to believe. When people heard of this they were angry and they began to kill Christians. Sebastian helped many Christians escape Rome but he refused to run away. The Romans arrested him and tied him to a stake and shot arrows at him. They left him thinking he was dead. He was not though and he went before the judge who had ordered him shot. Sebastian begged the judge to believe in Jesus. Instead he let soldiers beat Sebastian to death with clubs.
His Feast Day is January 20th
Saint Agnes was arrested by Roman soldiers at the age of twelve for being Christian. The soldiers took to a statue of a false God and told her to pray to it and offer incense. Instead she prayed aloud to Jesus Christ. Then the soldiers whipped her cruelly and even those Romans who were not Christian wept and some tried to save her. One soldier then said he would save her if she married him but she said “I belong to my Savior alone.” He then killed him with one stroke of her sword.
Her Feast Day is January 21st
Saint Dorothy. When she was young soldiers came and took Dorothy to a judge because she was Christian. They beat and punished her but she was still faithful to Christ. The judge then took her to two wicked woman to show her how silly she was for being Christian but she converted them. The judge was then angry and told the soldiers to treat her more cruelly but she just smiled because she was happy for saving two souls. In mid winter when she was to be put to death a pagan lawyer who hated Christ laughed at her and told her to send apples and roses to him from heaven. A young child who was an angel from heaven came to her before her death. The angel had apples and roses and Dorothy told the angel to take them to the lawyer. The lawyer then converted and died a martyr like Dorothy.
Her Feast Day is February 6th
To grow in this virtue it takes practice and prayer. You can practice by continuing to practice following your conscience in your life even when it’s hard and when others stand in your way. You can also grow in the virtue of fortitude through prayer by asking God for the courage to do what is right and to meditate on what Jesus’ agony in the garden and his passion. Finally you can grow by looking to the example of past Christians especially the Saints.
Sources: 1. Pennock, Michael (2001). Your Life in Christ. Notre Dame, Indiana: Ave Maria Press, Inc.
2. McManaman, Doug (2006). The Virtue of Fortitude. Retrieved April 28, 2008, from Catholic Education Resource Center Web site:
http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/education/ed0283.html
