Choose a topic from Part 2A:
1. When a good man dies, do moral virtues remain in theseparated soul? Justice remains, for (Wisd. 1:15), "Justice isperpetual and immortal." The moral virtues which regulate thepassions remain in the separated soul in their essence asperfections of the soul, but they no longer regulate irregularitiesof appetite; in the future life of the virtuous soul there are noirregularities of any kind.
2. The intellectual virtues remain in the separated soul,but in a manner which renders their use more perfect than it wasduring earthly life. In the present life, man must recur to senseimages (in phantasy or imagination) as he uses acquired knowledge.But the separated soul will not have the service of the senses ortheir images, nor will the soul require that service.
3. Faith which pertains to "things that appearnot," cannot continue after the things actually appear. In thenext life, faith will be fulfilled in the more perfect habit ofvision, and will be supplanted by vision.
4. And hope, which looks on to a good not yet possessed,can have no place in the soul which possesses all that it oncehoped for. In heaven, hope will be crowned with fulfillment, andwill cease to exist as a specific habit or virtue of the soul.
5. Not even remnants or elements of faith and hope canremain in the soul in heaven, for these virtues are simple habits,and they are either present entirely or absent entirely.
6. But charity will remain in the separated soul in glory.St. Paul says (I Cor. 13:8), "Charity never fallethaway." Charity will be fulfilled in heaven, not as faith isfilled and supplanted by vision, not as hope is fulfilled andsupplanted by possession: charity will be fulfilled by beingperfected in its own nature; that is, imperfect charity will becomeperfect charity.
"God gives us some things, as the beginning of faith, even when we do not pray. Other things, such as perseverance, he has only provided for those who pray."
St Augustine
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"A single act of uniformity with the divine will suffices to make a saint."
St Alphonsus de Liguori
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"There is nothing which gives greater security to our actions, or more effectually cuts the snares the devil lays for us, than to follow another person’s will, rather than our own, in doing good."
St Philip Neri
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