Weekly Bulletin
The Theological Virtues are Faith, Hope, & Charity. They are called theological (Theo – God + logical – study of) because they concern God directly. By Faith, I believe all that God has revealed based upon the principle that He is truth itself and He cannot deceive nor be deceived. By Hope, I have a firm conviction to obtain eternal life, and the means to get there (forgiveness of my sin & God’s help to overcome sin) based upon God’s infinite mercy and unfailing promises. By Charity, I love God above all things, and my neighbor for the sake of God, based upon God’s infinite goodness; this virtue animates the corporal & spiritual works of mercy and is uniquely observed when a soul bears a true love for her enemy.
These prerequisite virtues (strengths of soul) are first obtained at baptism and, thenceforth, are maintained, protected, & nurtured by their practice and by asking for them. The Church has given us various forms of the Act of Faith, the Act of Hope, & Act of Charity for this purpose. Do you suffer from a lack of faith? Pray an Act of Faith! Do you suffer from a lack of hope? Pray an Act of Hope! Do you suffer from a lack of Charity? Pray an Act of Charity! Some complain, God doesn’t help me!! He will if we ask Him for His help in matters of salvation; and these are matters of salvation. These are wonderful prayers which, when prayed sincerely & perseveringly, will help us believe more firmly in revealed truth, hope more confidently in obtaining heaven, & love more ardently our God and the people in our life for His sake. Try it!
Act of Faith
O my God! I firmly believe that Thou are one God in three divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy divine Son became man, and died for our salvation, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou has revealed them, Who can neither deceive nor be deceived. Amen.
Act of Hope
O my God! Relying on thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain the pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.
Act of Charity
O my God! I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou are all good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me and ask pardon of all whom I have injured. Amen.
To end, to best profit by the Acts, recite them not merely as statements to believe in, but as requests that their contents grow in the soul. The Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary should be likewise recited i.e., I agree to them and ask, desperately so, that they grow in me; convict me of them such that I overcome all obstacles in my following Jesus Christ. “Whosoever is born of God, overcomes the world; and this is the victory which overcomes the world, our faith.” (1 Jn 5:4)
