Faith is the foundation of all virtue, for by it God makes Himself known to men. As Saint Paul says, "Not faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that are not seen….And without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:1,6). It is this supernatural faith that the Canaanite woman proved, when she persevered in begging Jesus to cure her daughter. Having tested her, He said, "O woman, great is thy faith. Let it be done to thee as thou wilt" (Matthew 15:28).
The chief supernatural powers that are bestowed on our souls with sanctifying grace are the three theological virtues and the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Good qualities or inclinations, whether natural or supernatural, are generally referred to as "virtues." Virtue is a habit that inclines us to whatever is good.
A single good act does not constitute virtue. For instance, one does not have the virtue of faith if one believes in Christ only once a week.
Supernatural virtues enter the soul with sanctifying grace, imparted by the Holy Spirit in the Sacraments of Baptism and Penance. With sanctifying grace the soul acquires the supernatural light of faith and hope, and burns with the fire of charity. These virtues render us capable of being good and doing good for the love and service of God, to act for instead of against Him.
We are not to suppose however that sanctifying grace makes us perfect in the practice of virtue. It gives us the power and the inclination to be good and do good, but to have perfection we must frequently exercise our virtues. We are given the power, but if we do not use it, it remains dormant; similarly, we are given legs to use for walking, but if we refuse to walk, the power is dormant. Virtue is a habit acquired by repeated good acts.
Natural virtue enables us to perform good natural acts; it deals directly with things human. Supernatural virtue enables us to perform good acts from a supernatural motive, for the glory of God.
If we are temperate in food and drink because we wish to preserve our health, we have a natural virtue; we act according to reason.
Natural virtues compared to supernatural ones are like a photograph compared to the living original. It is only supernatural virtues that will profit us unto life everlasting, since it is only those whose object and life is God.
Natural virtues mean little compared to the same virtues when supernaturalized, that is, when they flower as a result of the coming of the Holy Spirit into the soul. For instance, if we are temperate in food or drink because in that way we hope to be more pleasing to God and obey His precepts, we act from supernatural virtue.
The three theological virtues are faith, hope, and charity.
These virtues are called theological, from the Greek term theos (meaning God), because their object is God. As appropriate symbol for the theological virtues is a living tree. Faith is the root, hope the trunk, and charity the fruit. The root and trunk are valueless if they do not find completion in the fruit. The common symbols depicting these three virtues are: the cross for faith, the anchor for hope, and the burning heart for charity.
He who possesses these three virtues has all other virtues in some degree. Without them, he cannot possess any other supernatural virtue nor reach heaven.
We should make acts of these virtues every day. We can say very briefly: "O my God, I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee. To Thee be honor, praise, and glory forever."
