Thursday, October 18, 2007

How to Shorten Your Own Purgatory

by Paolo Veronese 1580
"Allegory of Vice and Virtue, The Choice of Hercules"

(photo credit)

In the end Jesus will triumph over all temptation. Put in simplest terms, growing in virtue will better prepare the soul for eternity. The way I like to think of it, the more virtue the less purgatory I can hope for! Not to mention the universal need to be closer to God, who is Perfect Virtue. We all have vices. We have the duty to combat them with the opposite virtue. Have a problem with pride? Pray and offer sacrifices for humility! I came across this handy chart on Jeff Cavin's blog:

"Combat the vices in your life by praying for and developing virtue. The list below will help you as a guide:"
VICE -----VIRTUE
1.Pride---- Humility
2.Avarice-- Generosity
3.Envy-----Charity
4.Wrath ---Meekness
5.Lust----- Chastity
6.Gluttony- Temperance
7.Sloth----- Diligence

What we cannot DO for ourselves, we can PRAY for. I cannot battle myself the vices that my soul are enslaved to. I am a poor, weak sinner. What I CAN do is PRAY for the opposite virute and commend to God what I myself am incapable of. Amen+

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Along with the much-appreciated reminders of where our focus should be, you' ve been posting some powerful pictures lately. Thank you.

Sanctus Belle said...

You are very welcome! Humans are visual people and beauty helps to life our minds to God who is Perfect Beauty. Amen+

swissmiss said...

I'm glad there aren't a dozen vices, because I'd be in big trouble. I've been working my way through the list for a few years and am still only on #1.