The Development of Virtue and Character
“A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit” (Psalm 51:12).
Learning to live a life of strong character and good habits is not always easy in this era of confusion and compromise. We all know a life that is well organized and structured allows us to use the gifts God has given us and to achieve the goals we set for ourselves. Developing character and forming habits is not always as simple as it sounds.
The Practice of the Presence of God
Brother Lawrence, also known as Nicholas Herman, was a lay Carmelite monk—a man who lived in the secular world and followed the teachings of the Carmelites. Brother Lawrence never became a priest but remained a monk and spiritual director throughout his life. He is believed to have been born in about 1614 and died on February 12, 1691. He directed men and women who sought out his wisdom, either at the monastery or by writing letters to him for spiritual direction. His responses to the letters are captured in the book The Practice of the Presence of God, my copy of which was published in 1985 by Paraclete Press.
Brother Lawrence wrote about the practices we must develop to hear God’s voice in our head, heart, and soul. Another word for “practice” is “habit,” which is something we develop to make positive changes in our life. When I was a practicing licensed marriage and family therapist, I used to say to my clients, “We develop habits that determine our actions, so we must be careful about the habits we are forming, because these habits will then form us.” Whatever we do repeatedly becomes a habit, so we must be careful about both the actions we are aware of and the ones we do with little or no awareness.
The Content of Character
In his book Virtuous Leadership: An Agenda for Personal Excellence, Alexandre Havard explains the influence of our habits on our character development: “What is the content of [our] character? It is virtue, or more precisely, the set of classical human virtues—above all, magnanimity, humility, prudence, courage, self-control, and justice.”
The development of these primary virtues provides the foundation of character and is built on the habits we have formed. Havard continues by asserting that our temperament is who we are at our core and is unchangeable. However, the character we develop, based on the virtues we practice, help us moderate our temperament and become a leader—someone others can learn from and follow.
In like fashion, Brother Lawrence encourages us to dedicate ourselves to the love of God in all we say and do. He says that “to become truly spiritual the heart must be empty of all other things, since God desires to be its only Master.” How often do we occupy our heart with concerns that are not of God? When we allow ourselves to be concerned about earthly matters that facilitate anxiety, fear, doubt, or worry, our heart is not empty and prepared to receive God into its depths, inviting Him to reside there. Rather, it is overcome with worries of this world and prevents us from focusing on what is most important.
Think of the Gospel story of Martha and Mary (Luke 10: 38-42). Jesus said to Martha, “Martha, Martha you are anxious and worried about many things. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her” (Luke 10:41-42). Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to His teachings, while Martha was in the kitchen making the meal. She complained that Mary was not helping her and told Jesus He should tell her to get to work! While housework is important, how often do we sit with Jesus and learn from Him?
It is difficult to make time to sit with Jesus, making space for Him and His message. Emptying our heart of busyness and undesirable qualities, while placing our trust in God, requires a change in how we see the world. We must first come to God and ask for His Grace, keeping our eyes on Him even when we are tempted to accomplish more tasks out of a misguided belief that productivity is the measure of our worth. We must ask Jesus to help us focus on His Father instead. We can also turn to Mary and ask her to help us let go of any earthly desire that comes between us and God, just as she herself did.
Jesus and Mary both dedicated their lives to serving others. Jesus helped everyone who came to Him, and Mary served Joseph and Jesus, as well as others who needed her. Their examples provide a model of trust and confidence in God—a belief that God hears us and will help us.
In From Temperament to Character: On Becoming a Virtuous Leader, Havard explains, “Christianity calls people to live lives of service to others … because they see Christ in each and every person.” Our mission as Catholic Christians is to bring the essence of Christ into the world and infuse the spaces we enter with the love of God. We cannot do so if we are overcome with negativity, anxiety, fear, worry, or the belief that we are the measure of our accomplishments. Therefore, challenging any thinking that is not of God is the first step to becoming a virtuous person.
Havard continues by explaining that a truly virtuous person must find a cohesiveness between the virtues of humility and magnanimity, because these two virtues are inseparable. He explains, “Magnanimity without humility is pride, and humility without magnanimity is pusillanimity” (or timidity). He clarifies that “one needs a pure heart, a strong will and a bright intellect not to break the intimate link that unites these two virtues.”
At the core of Havard’s teachings is a Christian heart, so prepared to love and serve that to entertain any other human qualities would be inconsistent with one’s worldview. This worldview informs our decisions and choices, helping us create a virtuous home, workplace, and community. We are charged with the duty to create a virtuous world, and we can only do so through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who desires to occupy the fullness of our heart, mind, and soul.
Brother Lawrence states:
I cannot understand how a person in a religious community can live happily without the practice of the presence of God. As for me, I keep myself at rest with Him at the depth and center of my soul as much as I can, and when I am with Him in this way, I am not afraid of anything.
Opening ourselves up to the fullness of the Spirit requires humility, trust, and confidence in His goodness and faithfulness. Take time this month to ask the Holy Spirit to give you a clean heart and a renewed spirit, so you are able to let go of anxiety, doubt, fear, and hesitation. It is then that your love of God will help you thrive and flourish. As we celebrate the Easter season, may we make space for God’s voice in our head, heart, and soul.
Dr. Kate Walsh-Soucheray taught high school religion in St. Paul, Minnesota and then became a licensed marriage and family therapist. She has master’s degrees in theology and marriage and family therapy, and a doctorate in educational leadership. Dr. Kate and her husband John have been married for 42 years and they have three, adult married children and six, soon to be seven, grandchildren. Dr. Kate is retired and writes and speaks for Catholics.