Virtues as Good Dispositions of Heart and Will

Underlying a certain kind of good works must be a kindred good disposition of spirit; otherwise good works will lack true value and virtue without this is altogether unreliable. Thus, acts of almsgiving are good works, but underlying them should be love and compassion for the poor, or mercy. When Christians are commanded to advance in virtues, it is precisely these good dispositions that are meant. Thus the Apostle Peter exhorts: “To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead.” (1 Pet. 3:8–9). And the Apostle Paul: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Col. 3:12–14). The more one succeeds in implanting such dispositions in the heart, the more reliable and firm he becomes. One entering upon the path of virtue may have them in seed form; but to bring them to where they become as if natural to him cannot be done except through long labor and struggle.

Saint Macarius the Great teaches thus about this, and at the same time about the entire order of virtuous life: “One who sets the intention to please God should act as follows: First, believe firmly in the Lord, surrender yourself entirely to His commandments, and, having turned away from the world so that the mind does not cling to visible things, always remain in prayer, waiting for the Lord’s visitation. (This is virtue in the first sense.) Then he should compel himself constantly to every good deed and to every commandment of the Lord. (This is virtue in the last sense as a good work.) Even if the heart does not yet desire this because of sin remaining in us, one should not pay attention to that, but, having only the Lord before one’s eyes and His commandments, strive to please Him alone. Compel yourself to gentleness, even if the heart opposes it; also strive to be merciful, kind, compassionate, good. Then the Lord, seeing such good zeal—how he compels himself to every good work, to gentleness, humility, and the rest, against his heart’s desire—imprints these virtues in him by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that they become as if natural to him; whereupon he easily and willingly does what he previously compelled himself to do against his will. (This is virtue in the sense of a good disposition).” (Brief Teachings on the Chief Saving Dogmas of the Faith, Nov. 26. How to Prepare Oneself for Virtuous Life. Of Saint Macarius).