VirTrue: Longsuffering (Longanimitas) a Part of Hope скачать в хорошем качестве

VirTrue: Longsuffering (Longanimitas) a Part of Hope

Today on VirTrue, we’re talking about the virtue of Longsuffering (Long-ani-mitas), a sub-virtue of Hope, rooted in trust in God’s providence through prolonged trials. While patience helps us endure the DMV or traffic, longsuffering helps us endure life-altering burdens: a chronic illness, the loss of a child, a drawn-out injustice, or the weight of grief. St. Thomas Aquinas (ST II-II, Q137) describes longsuffering as perfecting both fortitude and hope. It unites enduring faith with moral strength, anchored by trust in God. Longsuffering: Endures suffering without becoming bitter Resists despair without escaping into pride Offers suffering to God rather than carrying it alone Is not weakness. It is humble strength Isaiah 40:30-31 encourages us in longsuffering: “They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength,they will soar on eagles’ wings;they will run and not grow weary,walk and not grow faint.” ⚠️ Vice of Deficiency: Pusillanimity (Fainthearted) Definition:Pusillanimity is the shrinking of the soul in the face of difficulty. It is the refusal to embrace suffering or noble tasks out of fear, discouragement, or lack of trust in God. Why it fits:Longsuffering endures trials with quiet strength and hopeful perseverance.Pusillanimity avoids them, fearing failure, pain, or inadequacy. It is not the weakness of the body but the retreat of the will. It refuses to rise to what love or duty demands when the path involves suffering. Description:The pusillanimous soul lacks spiritual courage. It sees the road of suffering and turns away, not from laziness but from a deep interior fear of not being strong enough. This vice may masquerade as humility, but it is actually a denial of the greatness we are called to in Christ. It forgets that our strength comes from God, not from ourselves. The fainthearted person may say, “That cross is too heavy for me.”But in longsuffering we instead can say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Instead of offering up their pain or facing trials with grace, the pusillanimous soul hesitates, flees, or despairs, never giving God the chance to act through their endurance. 🔥 Vice of Excess: Pertinacity Definition:Pertinacity is a proud and stubborn clinging to suffering. It refuses help, draws attention to endurance, and defines self-worth by how much hardship one can bear. Not for God’s glory but for one’s own. Why it fits:Longsuffering bears trials with humility and hope in God’s grace.Pertinacity distorts this virtue into self-worship through pain. It endures not to grow in love or obedience, but to feel superior, to impress, or to prove independence. It turns hardship into a stage and strength into a performance. Description:The pertinacious soul says, “I don’t need help. I’ve been through worse. I can take anything.”This vice resists grace and rejects vulnerability. It often refuses comfort or support out of pride and silently judges those who cannot handle as much. Where true longsuffering is a hidden offering, pertinacity is a loud badge of honor. It mistakes endurance for holiness and suffering for virtue. It forgets that it is not how much we can carry alone, but how much we offer to God in trust, that makes us holy. St. Paul teaches:“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).But the pertinacious soul shouts: “I can do all things by myself.” We Interrupt These Notes to Ask for Your Support The Social Catholic is a listener-supported podcast. To receive notifications about new episodes and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. OR You can also support this content through PayPal (@TheSocialCatholic), Venmo (@jethrohiggins) or Zelle (@SocialCatholic). Your financial support no matter how small helps us to continue our work to fill the world with virtue. Thank you for your generous support! The Social Catholic also sells devotional items including hand made paracord rosaries. Explore our products and make a purchase to help support our work. This week's episode is sponsored by the Mariner themed Hope Rosary 🪞 My Life I don’t battle the pride of pertinacity in my suffering. I struggle with faintheartedness, pusillanimity. Our family has been going through trials:Water issues, Ezekiel’s diagnosis and death, Liz’s blood pressure, losing my job leading AI marketing, double root canal, and the risk of losing our home if our runway runs out. We’re not alone.Other families we love have children battling chronic illness, deep grief, financial and vocational suffering. Even in the public eye, we mourn Paul Kim’s son Micah and pray for the Everts as their son John Paul suffers. We see the pain of the faithful and are tempted to lose heart. My wife Liz found hope meditating on the Magnificat. God calls us twice. Once to follow him. Again to suffer with him. Fr. Mark, a priest in our diocese, said in his All Saints ...