On Fortitude

Courage must be renewed daily. While some brave are natural heroes, some devout natural saints, many, including myself, are very ordinary sinners: for us a virtue is no gift, but a practice.  Generally, we practice what we aren’t very good at doing, having, or being.

            Holding fast before danger is more than instinct: it implies strength — of mind certainly — and persevering endurance. Courage may be employed in supporting a virtue, as Justice, or alas a vice, as domination. Persons of great violence can be courageous too. Courage is thus like fire.

Other virtues are entwined with Courage. Justice, which gives to everything that which belongs to it, requires courage in face of injustice. Temperance, or moderation, calls for fortitude turning away from excesses. Wisdom or Prudentia provides discernment to choose when acts are courageous or reckless, moderate or extreme, just or unjust.

            Courage confronts danger in spite of fear. Fear is not the enemy of courage, but its fuel. Fear of God isn’t dread of divine anger, but respect of power so great that all things are possible. The image of Courage is the lady with the lion. It is large and fierce; she has tamed it beneath her hand.