There is an important interplay and balance between the virtues that many modern minds set in opposition to one another. False dichotomies often prevail when the subtlety of virtues are lost or their meanings are grasped in simplistic or inaccurate ways.
Consider three virtues that are related and which enable and moderate one other: fortitude, patience, and meekness. To most people, these virtues seem more opposed than related. Today, fortitude conjures up an image of a fearless warrior in battle, or an intense prophet fearing nothing of the opinion of men. And meekness seems to be thought synonymous with weakness and conciliation. Finally, patience in modern parlance often means either not acting at all, or acting indecisively and without courage.
There are, of course, many problems with this thinking; the modern understanding of these words is quite different from their biblical or scholastic meaning. So part of our task is to recover a more accurate understanding of these words. But another aspect is to see how these virtues balance and moderate one another.
Fortitude – Consider first that fortitude is the virtue that enables us to withstand even great difficulties that hinder us from attaining our true goal. A chief feature of fortitude is enduring difficulties and seeing an act or decision through to the end. Thus it is not merely being brave in the face of danger or of sallying forth into battle; it is also being steadfast in spite of obstacles and enduring without sadness or loss of faith.
As with any virtue, there are certain sins that may emerge (by excess or defect) in relation to fortitude. Timidity, pusillanimity, faintheartedness, and softness are defects of fortitude. Yet there are also excesses related to fortitude such as being foolhardy, presumptuous, overly ambitious, vainglorious, and headstrong (pertinacious).
And thus patience and meekness are aspects of fortitude, especially in helping to govern excesses related to fortitude. While the modern mind considers them to be in opposition to fortitude, they are actually integral parts of it, since they not only moderate fortitude but are ways of living and expressing it.
Patience – This is perhaps the most frequent form under which fortitude is exercised in the face of the difficulties of life. St. Thomas Aquinas said that patience is attached to fortitude because it helps us to resist giving way to sadness, and to bear up under the difficulties of life with a certain equanimity or steadiness of soul. By it, we do not give way easily to emotional sadness or excessive anger. Thus patience is an act of fortitude, since it bids us to endure painful or difficult things without weakening in our faith or our commitment to the truth. With patience, we are steady in the face of the vexations and contradictions of life.
Sadly, many in our culture equate patience with weakness. But to be patient and to endure is a great strength.
Now the fact is that many troubles and contradictions last for a long time. Not all (or even most) things can be changed for the better simply or quickly. And so patience and suffering are often necessary acts of fortitude; they require great strength and brave endurance. Jesus says, In this world you shall have tribulation, but have courage, I have overcome the world (John 16:33). And St Paul adds, Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:21).
So while fortitude will often summon us to face danger bravely, to proclaim the faith, and to do what is right; while it will rebuke cowardliness, faintheartedness, and softness; it will also enable us to endure difficulties without sadness, fear, depression, or excessive anger. In all these ways there is strength and courage to be found. While the modern mind does not often connect patience with fortitude, it is in fact one of its most common manifestations.
Meekness – Even more so the modern mind does not connect meekness to fortitude. The average person today does not even know the real definition of the word “meekness.” Most consider the word to be associated with being a pushover or a doormat. In this flawed sense, meekness is despised as weakness and fearfulness.
But meekness, in its traditional and theological sense, is anything but weakness. The meek are those who have authority over their anger, who can command and control its power, moderating and directing its energy to good rather than destructive ends.
Aristotle defined meekness as the proper middle ground between too much anger and not enough. Anger has an important place in the human psyche but it must be mastered and moderated, for it is unruly. The meek are those who have mastered their anger and know how to use its creative power to set things right.
In our culture, the “angry prophet” gets some credit as he denounces the powerful and vents his anger. But a prophet who is merely angry is not a true prophet. True prophets love God’s people; their anger results from the love of God, of His truth and of His people. Beware mistaking true zeal borne out of love from angry zeal, which sermonizes indiscriminately. The angry prophet preaches to get something off his chest and to vent his anger. The true prophet speaks out of zealous love and from a meekness that is able to have authority over his anger and zeal.
Fortitude without patience and meekness is like fire with nothing to contain it. Such a fire spreads wildly and destroys what it should illuminate and heat; it destroys what it should purify and transform.
Therefore patience is not opposed to fortitude but is itself an act of fortitude, since it courageously resists discouragement when the battle seems long and fierce. It enables fortitude to act over a long period, consistently and persistently, to attain an end that mere zeal would impatiently forsake in the absence of immediate results.
Similarly, meekness is also not opposed to fortitude but is also a form of it, by authoritatively governing the anger directed against injustice and error. The meek person is ultimately at peace deep inside, even while engaging in a struggle on the outside. This, of course, is essential for fortitude to reach its goal since reaching a goal (say, of establishing the truth, refuting error, or restoring justice and respect for life) is nearly impossible for a soul consumed by anger. Meekness therefore is the courage of fortitude along with the control that helps focus anger, zeal, and brave action.
Thus, as with so many things, we ought not to separate what God has joined: in this case fortitude, patience, and meekness. Scripture says, be angry but sin not (Eph 4:26). And for our virtues we might add: have the courage and zeal of fortitude, but be not foolhardy, presumptuous, or headstrong.
So, have the courage and zeal to enter the battle. Don’t be like so many today who are soft, cowardly, and indiscriminately conciliatory. But enter not with wild, ungoverned fortitude (which isn’t really true fortitude at all); enter with a fortitude that is patient and willing to endure through what may well be a long battle. Enter with a fortitude that is authoritatively mastered and stable through meekness.
By God’s grace, true fortitude will win the day.
Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, exemplifies these three virtues: His Fortitude against the evil of suffering, His Patience in bearing said suffering, and His Meekness before those who executed Him. In word and deed, God the Son exemplifies this all: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Saint Mary, the Mother of Sorrows, exemplifies these three virtues after Jesus: her fortitude in seeing her Son and Lord suffer, her patience in suffering with Him, and her meekness when Jesus gives her to Saint John.
By our sins we have murdered Jesus, yet He bears our sins and sufferings in Infinite Fortitude, Patience and Meekness; has risen from the dead; and ascended into Heaven. Blessed be He, our Grace and Example and Brother!
Amen
Three profound virtues that measure a true man of GOD. Humility in the face of arrogance, patience in the face of ignorance and fortitude in the face of persecution. These make an ordinary person into a saint. LORD may YOUR Love lift us higher into YOUR realm of integrity. YHWH TSIDKENU.
Yes, Lord, Higher
fortitude. Isnt the jaw of an ass the symbol of fortitude? If you have ever tried to lead such a beast you will notice the great strength that its jaw will demonstrate.
as a supplement to meekness interpretation. This Christian I know once gave this commentary: Note on the word “meek” The archaic English language referred to the act of breaking a horse as “meeking.” In this process of meeking, the strength of the horse is not diminished. Instead its strength is focused for the horse’s intended purpose. Meekness is strength brought under control so that it can be focused in the appropriate direction. By so focusing the strength, its application is limited to the appropriate areas, leaving a characteristic of gentleness in all other areas. One might think of a gentle giant who has tremendous strength, but only uses it for the appropriate purpose for which it is given.
May I suggest one additional factor to meekness that places it as a “mixed” virtue, consisting of both anger moderation and humility. The concept of chivalry captures the idea of meekness–the powerful male has the capacity to rule over or even destroy an inferior, and instead, allows himself to submit to the inferior, for the sake of his own humility or as an act of charity or mercy. John Chyrsostum captures this idea very nicely in his treatise on vainglory and the rearing of children. Meekness is very difficult to teach (witness the rise in severe bullying, or the obscene displays on the playing field by athletes ) but it is very important in training teenage males to be competitive but also humble… it’s a balancing act to be sure. The mistake that we make today is to suppress altogether the competitive and aggressive nature of males—a big mistake—and leave them without courage/force of will, and without humility. Hope this makes sense.
Wow. This is so helpful and so clear that I am taking it with me to spiritual direction. Thanks, Monsignor!