March: Fortitude

I don't know about you, but I doubt many of us saw March playing out like it did. Over the course of 31 days, we watched as travel halted, "non-essential businesses" closed, grocery stores spouted lines wrapped around the block and everyone ran out of toilet paper. It marked a move to working from home, students becoming homeschooled, and so many of the activities and events in our lives being stripped away.

When I discerned that "fortitude" would become my virtue of the month of March, I had no idea how much fortitude I would really need. As I prayed about ways I could invite fortitude into my life, I found an incredible article that details the six ways in which we can grow in fortitude:

1. Magnanimity - striving for excellence in all we do, generosity of time
2. Magnificence - being good stewards of our money, generosity of treasure
3. Patience - waiting well and with faith, generosity of the will
4. Perseverance - endurance when "facing difficulties that can lead to eventual good," generosity of talent
5. Longanimity - facing the agony of waiting with anticipation, generosity of our timelines
6. Mortification - purification of our souls through small, daily sacrifices, generosity of our desires

Whew. As with my other virtue challenges, the goal was to find multiple ways each day that I could choose fortitude. It played out in fascinating ways.

For example, when I'm running up the hill back to my house, I often feel tempted to just stop running at the bottom and walk home. With fortitude on my mind, I would instead choose to sprint home. When I'm doing yoga and don't want to wait through the final stretches, I choose to commit to the practice and finish strong. This idea of "finishing strong" is a common refrain throughout my ongoing quest for fortitude.

Another big boulder to fortitude for me was patience and perseverance, especially in the generosity of the will. In this time of great stress and anxiety, there have been so many times I wanted to reach for low-hanging fruits to cope. To lie down and binge-watch every episode of Tiger King (whoops I did that). To grab a pint of Ben and Jerry's and wallow in the face of crisis (did that too). To love and respect the people in my life, by encouraging them rather than pouring out my stress and uncertainty on them (sorry, thanks for your fortitude in dealing with me). Choosing the good is tempting, but we know that we'll be thirsty again. Fortitude challenged me to choose the best - to drink from the well that will not run dry.

In facing uncertainty, generosity of treasure is harder than ever. I am so blessed, yet I feel pain when I part with my money. It's important, today more than ever, for me to stop and remember that all that I have is from God, and it all belongs to him. My money is not my own - it's His. To have fortitude in generosity is a way of life that I'm striving after.

And finally, but most importantly - fortitude in prayer. This month, I completed the consecration to St. Joseph, and what an incredible man of fortitude he was. He trusted God. He gave Him everything. He didn't question Him but instead chose to act out of love for Him. How often do I question God and ask Him what the heck He's doing? How many mornings do I procrastinate and distract myself instead of turning straight to Him in prayer? How many nights do I sit on my phone instead of completing my Examen? Fortitude in prayer is the root and foundation of fortitude in my life. St. Joseph, pray for me (God is our light. Any other Carondelet people said that with me).

Ultimately, this "virtue project" is not oriented to check them off and move on. My goal is to grow deeper in virtue so that I can be closer to Christ. What's been so wild is that my three virtues so far this year (January: Peace, February: Obedience, and March: Fortitude) have all been preparing me for this time of crisis. To find peace. To be obedient. To have fortitude. I pray for the grace to be rooted in these virtues as we move through April, as well as embrace my April virtue of surrender.

Are you working through virtues this year? How have you been able to grow in Fortitude? I want to hear all about it! Let me know.


Fortitude Resources:

Consecration to St. Joseph