The one aspect of this I have not yet mentioned is the importance of habit.
What we are striving for is a habitual virtuous response.
Clearly the ideal is for an individual to consider each situation and choose a virtuous response. However, in reality, much of the time we do not stop and consider each situation - we react quickly and habitually. Which is why cultivating habits of virtues is important.
For example, I have a good friend who has the virtuous habit of only saying positive things about others, unless there is a genuine reason to say something negative (eg to offer a warning).
I would love my kids to have that virtue (not one I have yet cultivated myself, alas).
The key to developing habits, of course, is repetition. So exercising the virtues is like any other exercise: done regularly, it increases the strength of the particular virtue.
A great read on all this is C S Lewis' 'The Abolition of Man'.
Liturgy for When You were Pleased a Meeting was Delayed but Now you've
realised there's another meeting at the original time that you will have to
attend after all
-
1 I was glad when they said to me the Meeting of the Moot has been delayed
2 For every meeting delayed is another meeting where the world might end
first.
3...
9 hours ago
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