A virtue is a habit of doing good: a firm attitude that makes good choices easier. Virtues grow just like playing the piano or kicking a ball: the more you practice, the easier it gets.
The theological virtues come from God and lead us to God:
- Faith: believing in God and all He has revealed.
- Hope: trusting God's promises and longing for heaven.
- Charity (love): loving God above all, and our neighbor as ourselves. Saint Paul says the greatest of these is love.
The cardinal virtues are called “cardinal” from a Latin word for “hinge,” because all the other good habits swing on them, like a door on its hinges:
- Prudence: thinking before acting and making wise choices.
- Justice: giving God and others what is rightly theirs.
- Fortitude: courage to do what is right, even when it is hard.
- Temperance: self-control, enjoying good things in the right amount.
We don't have to grow these virtues alone. The Holy Spirit helps us with His gifts, and the saints show us the way.