Our Baptism Gifts in Action: The Theological Virtues
“Faith in action is love and love in action is service” (St. Teresa of Calcutta).
When I was in my teenage years, I loved thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up. Surely, all of my hard work would pay off; suddenly, one day, all of my thoughts and ideas would catch fire. Little did I know that “one day” does not really exist — that I’d have more “one-day-at-a-times” than a single slam dunk.
The theological virtues — faith, hope, and love — can fuel that “one day at a time” and point us toward our highest goal: to be in union with God.
Patty Breen, a pastoral associate at Saint Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Detroit, agreed to collaborate with me to discuss the theological virtues for Catholic Women in Business. She shares my thoughts about our professional and personal paths being an unpredictable journey: “My background consists of many things I never thought would be part of my story. What most defines me is being a daughter infinitely loved by God.”
Together, Patty and I unpack the three theological virtues.
Faith
Molly: According to Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” As a longtime fan of St. Teresa of Calcutta, I find her perspective on the topic to be guiding: “Faith is a gift from God. Without faith, no life is possible. For our work to bear fruit, for it to belong to God alone., it must be founded on faith. Christ said , ‘I was hungry, naked, sick, homeless … You did for me’ (see Mt. 25:35-40). Our work is founded on faith in these words of Christ. Faith is scarce nowadays because selfishness is quite abundant; personal advantage is sought about all. Faith cannot be genuine without being generous” (quoted in “Courageous Virtue” by Stacy Mitch).
Patty: When I think of a woman who most exemplifies the virtue of faith, I can think of no one more fitting than Mother Teresa. Her entire life reveals lots of little movements of stepping out in faith: leaving her childhood home of Albania to go to India as a Loreto sister, responding to her “call within a call” to care for the poorest of the poor, and her interior struggles of spiritual darkness for over 20 years.
While I have not shared any similar experiences from the life of Mother Teresa, her beautiful life reminds me that faith is often lots of little, forward movements towards Jesus, in whatever season my life finds me in.
Molly: Mother Teresa allows us to see faith as a way of life, a reverence, and a calling.
Hope
Molly: Hebrews 15:7 says, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.” God desires for us to hope for Him. With this virtue, He promises to give us the desires of our heart. At the same time, God allows circumstances and ‘yesses and nos’ if they are part of his holy will.
Patty: Hope is a virtue that sometimes is undervalued but no less important than the other two. Thinking upon this virtue, I found myself thinking, how do you find hope in the most hopeless of situations? Reflecting on that question led me straight to St. Josephine Bakita.
Born in southern Sudan, St. Josephine was kidnapped at age seven and given the name Bakita, which means fortunate. Sold several more times, she was eventually sold to an Italian consulate in 1883. Two years later, he took her to Italy, where she was introduced to Catholicism through the Canossian sisters. Drawn in by their love and kindness, she was baptized and confirmed in 1890, taking the name Josephine.
St. Josephine was a woman who endured much in her life: being kidnapped as a child, the physical and emotional trauma of slavery, and being seperated from her family. She was all too familiar with suffering. But in spite of what she went through, I am inspired by St. Josephine’s life, because for me, it radiates hope.
St. Josephine is a powerful example that suffering in this life does not define us and that we can do hard things.
Molly: Lessons like these from the saints help us root ourselves in the promises of God and use hope to persevere until the end of our lives. Professionally, as we hope in Christ, our paths become clearer.
When considering my first job after graduate school, I wanted to move to the west coast — specifically, to San Diego — and start a job at a major health system there. I lit candles to St. Jude at a cathedral in San Diego that all of the circumstances would align to make my plan happen.
All of the circumstances did not align. On the contrary, I ended up with only one job offer: for a position in the health system I had interned in. At the time, I was disappointed, but I was able to live close to my family during the end of my father’s life and began a good relationship with my now-husband. I owe this right professional choice to continual hope that God would answer my prayers and listen to the desires of my heart.
Love
Molly: In her book “Courageous Virtue,” Stacy Mitch writes, “Love, also known as charity, is the beginning and end of the practice of virtue. Love is a very complicated and confusing topic in modern times. Luckily, we differentiate both real and false love with the help of the Church … Love of the quality of God’s own life is this, seeking no more its own but by those things that are Christ’s, even as He sought outs — or rather us, and never sought His own.”
Patty: Through the suggestion of a friend, I finally decided to give the thick Charlotte Brontë book “Jane Eyre” a read. I was shocked by how deeply this book (and the main character, Jane) impacted me. Without giving the entire book away, Jane has to make a difficult choice in regards to love and relationship.
One of the best definitions I have heard of the word “love” is to will the good of the other. Jane exemplifies this definition so well. She makes a difficult decision to will the good of a man she cares for, because her conscience will not allow her to do otherwise.
Love does not look like or feel like a romantic comedy. Love requires a death of self and personal selfishness. Jane is not only a strong literary heroine, but she reminds women that sometimes love calls us to do the difficult thing.
Molly: Yes! This role of the heroine to make a mature choice above an immediate feeling is a very good example. I also think about how professionally, we can treat our colleagues and clients or patients with love. We often think of love as romantic, but true love, or charity, is so important to remember.
Charity often requires self-sacrifice and putting aside one’s own desires for God’s kingdom. It can take on a variety of different acts of kindness and communication. As Ephesians 5:2 says, “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering, and sacrifice to God.”
Invitation to Accept
In “Courageous Virtue,” Mitch reminds us that the theological virtues are gifts that we must choose to use: “As always, God offers us His good gifts, but never forces us to accept them. If we do accept God’s gift of faith, and turn our hearts towards Him, we give Him the opportunity to transform our lives into something beautiful for Him (cf. Catechism, nos. 153-65).”
How can you accept the gift of theological virtues and express them in your professional and personal lives today? We encourage you to invite a girlfriend to brainstorm with you and carry these ideas with you through the season of Easter.
Molly Franzonello is a brand new wife and health care systems innovator in Washington, D.C. When not driving all over the metropolitan area to see “her people,” you can find her reading, writing, podcasting, or staycationing at her favorite spots in the District.
Patty Breen is a Pastoral Associate in Detroit, MI and has worked for over ten years as a lay minister for the Church. She is an avid reader and a freelance writer and blogger. Her passions and interests in ministry include ecumenism, living in the power of the Holy Spirit, support for divorced Catholics, health sexual ethics and dating culture, and support for women whose relationships have been impacted by sexual addiction.