The Redemptorist Virtue for the Month of July is...

Virtue: Obedience

Patron: St Philip

Text: "You are my friends, if you do things that I command you." Jn 15:14

Obedience is the moral virtue that inclines Christians to submit to the law of God in all its manifestations. God alone is the ultimate source of all law. Obedience is a positive response not only to civil and ecclesiastical decrees but to the authority of God himself? Alphonsus points out that our obedience to human authority can be less than complete (if that authority opposes the authority of God), but our obedience to God must be complete and absolute. Adults—who often think of obedience as primarily a child 's virtue— should carefully reflect on the specific ways in which this virtue can be manifested in the many components of their lives: family, job, neighborhood, nation.

Alphonsus believed that many difficulties of obedience are rooted in false pride. Ask yourself if this is true in your life.

Thanks to redemptorists.com

The Redemptorist Virtue for the month of June is...

Virtue: Chastity 

Patron: St. James the Less, Apostle 

Text: "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God." Matt 5:8

This virtue is concerned not only with self-mastery but also with love and holiness.

"This is the will of God, your holiness: that you refrain from immorality, that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion as do the Gentiles who do not know God " (I Thes 4:3-5).

Alphonsus saw the practice of chastity as another way of striving to do God' s will in our lives. He believed that the most subtle dangers regarding chastity were occasions of sin.

In his moral theology, Alphonsus refers to occasions of sin that are voluntary (of one' s own choosing and therefore avoidable) and proximate (those that frequently lead a person to sin). He teaches that even sincere Christians fall into sins against chastity because they voluntarily place themselves into proximate occasions of sin. Likewise, avoiding such occasions is one of the most effective ways of growing in chastity.

This month, take time to reflect on the occasions of sin in your life.

Pray for the courage to make changes in your life so you can avoid these occasions of sin.

Thanks redemptorists.com

The Redemptorist Virtue for the month of May is...

Virtue: Poverty

Patron: St. Thomas

Text: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." Mt.5:3

Jesus identified with the poor. (See Mt 25:35-40.) Alphonsus insisted that we can begin to understand gospelpoverty only when we begin to experience "the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich" (2 Cor 8:9).

Alphonsus' writings and preaching reveal his conviction that gospel poverty (what he calls "poverty of spirit and a spirit of poverty " ) demands detachment of the heart from material possessions and worldly power. He encourages us to gain perspective by meditating on death as "the day of loss," when riches and possessions will be no more. He used to encourage young Redemptorists to "clean out their closets " at the time of retreat so they would not clutter up their lives with extra things. Perhaps we can all learn a lesson from this!

This month, why not go through your "riches " and choose one treasure to give away. If you find this too difficult, perhaps you can find a way to use that treasure to help another or to bring joy to someone.

Thanks to: redemptorists.com

The Redemptorist Virtue for the month of April is...

Virtue: Love of Neighbour

Patron: St. John

Text: "This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you.

A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends." St John 15: 12-14

The teaching of Jesus about the great law of love includes not only love for God but also, in an essential way, love for neighbour. (See Mt 22:34-40 and Lk 10:25-28.) Alphonsus emphasized the reason for this gospel insistence on loving one's neighbour: "Why, there-fore, must we love our neighbour? Because he or she is loved by God! We must love all whom God loves!"

On the practical level, Alphonsus provides two positive and two negative considerations for practicing this virtue. On the positive side, he first encourages the spirit of peace. Though the followers of Jesus Christ, he noted, are from different nations and climes and are of unlike temperament and character, they can live peacefully together, "for love would induce them to practice mutual forbearance." Second, Alphonsus stresses almsgiving. This refers to the religious duty to help the poor and needy—not only out of our abundance but even, if necessary, out of what we consider essential for ourselves.

On the negative side, he strongly cautions against rash judgment. "If you desire to practice the beautiful virtue of charity, strive to reject every rash judgment, every distrust and unfounded suspicion of your neighbour." In addition, he warns against uncharitable speech, for there are many people "who cannot move their tongues with-out wounding someone."

True Christians will avoid calumny and detraction and will always try to say only what is good about their neighbour.

During April, focus on how much God loves you.

In addition, become conscious of your comments about others.

Thanks to: redemptorists.com