過去八星期，我們探討過成聖的方法；去年的將臨期，我們亦曾談過「信、望、愛」三種向天主之德。在下週將屆的四旬期，我們要接觸到關於「行為之德」。同時我也請你們到生命恩泉網站www.fll.ca (或www.fatheranthonyho.ca) 重閱本欄所有文章。網站上的文章是按日期及分類，以方便大家搜讀。

行為之德

「德行」是引導人行善避惡的恆久習慣。德行可分兩大類：向天主之德和行為之德。

向天主之德（信、望、愛）以天主為對象，也只能由天主傾注於靈魂內。行為之德則主導人自由意志內的行為，並可以藉重複善舉而修成。

四樞德

我們稱智、義、勇、節為「四樞德」，皆因它們是各種行為之德的樞紐，互相支持和引發修成其它的德行。教宗聖額我略說：「所有善行建於四樞德之上」。

「智德」使我們明辨正邪，誘發善行，引步主寵。「義德」慣以忠誠地給予別人應得的、相稱的權益。「勇德」讓人能為得救靈魂而勇於甘心背負十字架，面對危困。「節德」幫助我們對諸事有合宜的自制或節制，操控過份或歪惡的貪求和傾向。

洗者若翰

洗者若翰作為主耶穌的前驅，更是遜守四樞德的楷模。在智德的引導下，若翰隱居曠野荒蕪，遠離俗世的誘惑，棄絕自己，克苦補贖。他與天主獨處深談，凝智菲淺，故此話句鏗鏘，連黑落德王亦樂聽其言。

洗者若翰為義，對天主對人都能克盡己職，告誡貪斂稅吏，勸禁官兵奸佞言行。

勇德使若翰隱伏荒野，渡嚴厲苦行的生活。他直斥黑落德王的荒淫，為正義而甘受牢獄之苦，最後更付出生命作為代價。

曠野的環境，做就若翰修成節德。野蜜及蝗蟲是若翰嚴齋中唯一的食糧，他不隨從本性慾望，而是隨從良心規範和真理來行事。若翰願意放下己見，遵從耶穌的旨意，給祂付洗。若翰更願意自己的門徒去跟隨耶穌，並表明「祂應該興盛，我卻應該衰微。」

洗者聖若翰幫助眾人預備內心接受基督，行為之德則幫助我們的心靈去接受向天主的三德。

「如果你追求正義，你必能獲得，披戴她有如光榮的禮服（德訓篇27:9）」。

In the last eight weeks we had a series of articles on the means to perfection. In Advent we had a series of articles on the theological virtues. Starting this week, and during Lent, we are having a series of articles on the moral virtues. I invite you to read the past articles of this column online at the Fountain of Love and Life website (www.franthonyho.fll.cc) or simply type www.fatheranthonyho.ca (note the change in website from fatheranthonyho.com). You can find the past articles of this column sorted by date and by category.

Moral virtues

A virtue is a permanent habit which leads us to do good and to avoid evil. There are two main types of virtues: theological and moral. Theological virtues (faith, hope, and charity) have God for their immediate object, whereas moral virtues regulate the free actions of human beings.

Moral virtues can be acquired by the repetition of many good acts. Theological virtues are not acquired by repeated acts, but are infused into the soul by God.

Cardinal virtues

There are four moral virtues on which all other moral virtues depend as a door depends on its hinges. These are called cardinal (the word means “hinge”) virtues. They are: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. St. Gregory the Great says, “The entire structure of good works is built on four virtues.”

Prudence enables us to see and take the proper means to arrive at the possession of God. Justice is the habitual desire to give to everyone his due. Fortitude enables us to face with courage, and generously overcome, all the difficulties with which our salvation is beset, and to bear our cross patiently. Temperance enables us to exercise moderation in all things, that is, not merely in eating and drinking, but also in the gratification of all our appetites and desires.

St. John the Baptist

St. John the Baptist was the precursor of Our Lord, and he is a model of the cardinal virtues. Guided by prudence, St. John the Baptist chose to live in the desert, far away from the temptations of the world, practising self-denial and penance. He conversed with God in solitude and gained much wisdom, that his words were powerful. Even Herod took delight in listening to him.

In the practice of justice, St. John Baptist spared himself no labour and sacrifice to fulfill his duty to God and to man. He exhorted others to practise justice by telling the tax collector not to collect more than what was prescribed and by telling the soldiers not to practise extortion or make false accusations.

St. John the Baptist practised fortitude by living a very austere life in the desert. He courageously pointed out to Herod that it was not lawful for him to have his brother’s wife. He suffered imprisonment and martyrdom for speaking the truth.

In the desert, St. John the Baptist practised temperance by his extraordinary abstinence, living on locusts and wild honey. In his public ministry, St. John the Baptist regulated his whole conduct not by impulse or passion, but by rules of conscience and right reason. He gave in and baptized Christ once he saw that it was the will of God. He directed his disciples not to himself but to Christ, saying “He must increase, I must decrease.”

St. John the Baptist prepared the hearts of the people to accept Christ, and the moral virtues dispose our hearts to accept the gifts of the theological virtues from God.

“If you pursue virtue, you will attain it and put it on like a festal gown” (Sir 27:8).