SEMESTER PLANNING GUIDE: A GREAT MARVEL
Endgame: How Do I Live a Virtuous Life?
Dear Parents and Family,
This week at Edge, your son or daughter learned that they are called to embody all four cardinal virtues, and that with God’s help and their own choice it is possible to do this. The night began with a fun superhero-themed game. The teaching broke open the truth that every Christian is called to cultivate the cardinal virtues, but that this requires grace, self-knowledge, our own effort, and the help and support of others. After the teaching, the youth shared about some people that exemplify virtue and inspire them and are present in their lives to support them as they strive to be virtuous. The Edge Night closed with an examination based on the cardinal virtues. The goal of this exercise was to help the youth see where they are already practicing virtue as well as where they have room to grow. Your child’s weekly challenge is to take five minutes every day and reflect on how they lived out a virtue as well as where they can do better in living out that virtue.
Main Ideas
- Each of us, as Christians, is called to develop each of the four cardinal virtues by asking God to help us practice them in our daily life.
- As we get older, we become more aware of our strengths, weaknesses, and personality, and it is important to recognize where we need each virtue to help us choose what is good and follow God’s will for our lives.
- With the grace of Jesus Christ and our own free choice, we can practice and grow in the virtues and imitate what is best about superheroes.
Catechism Reference
“Human virtues acquired by education, by deliberate acts and by a perseverance ever-renewed in repeated efforts are purified and elevated by divine grace. With God’s help, they forge character and give facility in the practice of the good. The virtuous man is happy to practice them.” (CCC 1810)
Scripture Reference
“And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.” (Galatians 6:9)
Family Reflection Questions
- What is one virtue you want to grow in?
- How can we support one another as we try to grow in virtue?
- Are we comfortable affirming one another in our strengths? Or, gently calling out one another in our weaknesses? Why or why not?