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.
"Every man naturally desires knowledge; but what good is knowledge without fear of God? Indeed a humble rustic who serves God is better than a proud intellectual who neglects his soul to study the course of the stars."
Thomas á Kempis
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"A man should keep himself down, and not busy himself in mirabilibus super se."
St Philip Neri
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"Before a man chooses his confessor, he ought to think well about it, and pray about it also; but when he has once chosen, he ought not to change, except for most urgent reasons, but put the utmost confidence in his director."
St Philip Neri
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