Photo Prayer:
Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
After the theological come the moral virtues, which are concerned with the conduct of man in this world as regards God, himself and his fellow-men. The first among these are the Cardinal Virtues, which enter into all the others, or constitute the necessary conditions, or, as it were, the atmosphere in which they act. These are Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance. They may exist in the natural form in any men; and brilliant examples of them were found among the cultivated heathen. But besides this, it is necessary that there should be a certain infused facility to enable them to be exercised in higher perfection and on supernatural objects. Prudence is a quality or virtue of the intelligence which guides our actions towards their object. It presides over our deliberations and decisions. It helps us to discern between good and evil, and to seek the one and avoid the other; it preserves us from excess or deficiency in our operations, it takes account of times and places, of aids and obstacles, and guides us accordingly. Prudence must control every other one of the virtues; it is like the salt which of old had to be used to season every sacrifice offered to God. Ask God to implant this ruling grace in you. "Give me wisdom that sitteth by Thy throne . . . that she may be with me and labour with me, that I may know what is acceptable with Thee" (Wisd. ix. 4, 10).
