The Theological Virtues
There are three virtues which are the source of salvation for men to heaven; Faith, Hope and Charity. When one is lacking from these virtues, they become useless, if man would disregard one of these three, the remaining will be useless for the salvation of his soul. Let us allow that man has faith in God, but do not hope for His goodness, that faith is dead, words according to St. James. That is the faith of the devil. The devil believe in God, but he never hope in God, that is why he has no love. If the devil has hope, he can be saved. Now, how will these virtues be inculcated in our hearts? The Holy Rosary, my brethren, will give us life in order to strengthen our souls with Faith, Hope and Charity of God.
First of all, let us reflect on the Joyful Mystery. This gave us the virtue of faith. The virtue of faith Is the fruit of the mysteries. The first is the Annunciation of the Angel that she will be the Mother of God, Mary believed in the message, and so she became the Mother of God.
St. Elizabeth upon the Virgin’s visitation, welcomed and believed that in her womb is the Savior of the world and exclaimed: “Why is it that the Mother of God visited me?”
The shepherds and the three Wise Men believed that the poor child they were faced with, is the God, who was born.
The fourth mystery was in the temple. The old prophet carried the child in his bosom and exclaimed:
“Now, Lord, it is alright that you will take me, because my eyes has already seen the salvation of Israel.”
The fifth mystery, the doctors in the temple were amazed at how sharp He answered their questions.
In the Virgin’s sorrows, He said to them: “Don’t you know that I must continue to do the things of my Father? It is very clear that the fruit of these mysteries is the Virtue of Faith.
Now, the Sorrowful Mysteries: These explains the sorrows of the Lord. The sorrows that through this, the Lord is teaching us the Virtue of Hope. The heaviness of suffering, He wanted to disregard, but He carried the cross again for the hope of forgiving our sins.
It is also true to us, in translating our faith into action, God commanded us to do only what is good, but to do good, is heavy for our weaknesses. To control our own weaknesses, to inhibit from what we want that is sinful, to carry and to suffer the heavy cross, aside from having the road too steep for the perfect soul. Placing ourselves in the hope of the Lord’s suffering, through the great warmth of our penitent souls, we are moaning with the Lord in His suffering,
“Lord, if it is possible take this cup of suffering away, but not my will, but Your will be done.”
What a divine suffering! Because of my own sins, Lord, this is not enough. If you give me long life without sufferings, it is better that you take away my life. But if it is suffering, give me long life; this is the desire of St. Therese of the Child Jesus. The virtue of Hope in the Lord, planted in our hearts, the faith that even behind all sufferings, will dawn the salvation, the prize of heaven, the joy without everlasting fear of hell, which is the punishment for not repenting the sins.
The fruit of faith is that God can never be deceived nor be deceived because His intellect is unfathomable and He is Just, the virtue of Love will be planted in the soul. The Glorious Mysteries will give us the Virtue of Love. It is said that love is not from the one love, but the Lover. Because of this, the Lord said: “Where is your love, there is your heart .” So, when we are in love with the Lord, our heart is with God, our heart and soul is lifted up to Him who we Love. This is the very reason why the Glorious Mysteries will lift us to God.
The Resurrection of the Lord is our own resurrection from sin, to the identity of the sons of God. The Ascension to heaven is also the unity of the soul who is in the grace of God. He said:
“Those who love me, I am with him, and he is with me, and we become One.”
The Descent of the Holy Spirit is also the strength of the soul against the three enemies of the soul, the devil, the world and his weaknesses, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary to heaven and her Coronation, will lift the soul to Her and look at Her living image of hope to the soul, light of the way, sweet desire of the soul that she will be united one day with God and Mother in heaven.