The St Edward’s College motto, Virtus et Honor, left a lasting impression on me. The Latin word virtus refers to the qualities typical of a true man, manly spirit, resolution, valour, steadfastness. It implies moral excellence, virtue and goodness. It also stands for power or strength.
The virtuous man is one who freely practises good. He leads a morally good life with ease, self-mastery, and joy. Virtues are acquired by human effort. One becomes virtuous by repeating virtuous acts with generous self-sacrifice over a sustained period of time.
Great men of learning have always struggled with the question: How do you recognise a morally good person, a virtuous man? The classic answer is that there are four cardinal characteristics which will show you: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. This means that the really good or virtuous person will be prudent, just, courageous and would practise self-control.
A truly good person would first be a prudent person. He would willingly ask and receive advice from wise and experienced people. He does not mind being corrected when wrong and is grateful for every instruction he receives. A prudent man avoids excesses and is measured in his words and actions. A prudent person weighs the consequences of his actions and does his best to avoid mistakes. He learns from his mistakes and grows in wisdom every day.
Secondly, you would be able to recognise a good and virtuous person when you notice that they are just in the way they deal with you and with others. This means that they give each and everyone his due without fear or favour. That is what you expect of a referee – fairness. A just person would respect the truth and take care of everybody’s concerns and well-being.
The third characteristic or virtue of the good person is courage or fortitude. The courageous person will be strong when difficulties arise and will be constant in the pursuit of the good. The virtue of fortitude enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death, and to face trials and persecutions. True courage disposes one even to renounce and sacrifice one’s life in defence of a just cause.
The fourth and last cardinal virtue is moderation or temperance. The negative effects of substance abuse and addiction teach us how wise the Old Testament is when it gives us the following advice: “Do not follow your base desires, but restrain your appetites.” A truly good person will show moderation and restraint. In the sphere of human emotions and passions, he will not simply act on his sexual desires in an irresponsible and callous way. He will learn to exercise control which is also the hallmark of love in chastity. A person who learns to control his urges will be truly free.
The Latin word honor refers to the “high esteem or respect accorded to superior worth or rank”. Jesus gives his disciples an insight into the authentic meaning of honor with the following advice: “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet… go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you.”
In a very competitive world it is so easy to think that choosing for oneself a place of honour is only natural and legitimate. On the other hand, it becomes ever so difficult to opt willingly and joyfully to start by taking ‘the lowest place’, the place reserved to the servants and workers. Experience teaches us that people who have learned to enjoy themselves “in the lowest place”, who have entered life, that is, with a spirit of true humble service, make very good leaders when the time comes for them to move up higher.
The Romans also attributed another meaning to the word honor: it also stood for public or political office. Thus, a man was considered a person of honour when he was a man of public commitment and service. Students’ efforts at school are their public commitment and their public service – in other words, their honor. Their commitment to their future in a spirit of self-sacrifice and service is the best investment for the human family.
When General Robert Baden-Powell published his book Scouting for Boys in 1908 he included ‘The Scout Law’, the first principle or tenet was the following: “A Scout’s honour is to be trusted”.
Our greatest honour is to be worthy of the trust that God, country and family have put in us, in our goodwill to do our best. We may not all achieve remarkable things, but we all should do our best according to our talents and our gifts, according to the concrete circumstances in which we find ourselves.
This article is adapted from a speech by Mgr Scicluna at St Edward’s College earlier this month.
Mgr Scicluna is Promoter of Justice of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in the Vatican.