In this foundational lecture from his Introduction to Catholic Morality series, Father John Hardon provides a clear and rigorous overview of the virtues, essential powers given by God to enable us to perform good actions and attain our eternal destiny (1:26).
Key takeaways include:
- The Object of Hope: We strictly "trust" in God and hope for what He has promised. The primary objects of our hope are heaven itself and the grace needed to reach it (3:26, 5:33).
- The Necessity of Trust: Father Hardon emphasizes that we must never doubt our salvation. He notes that the more zealous one is in the faith, the more the devil will tempt the soul toward discouragement and anxiety—vices that oppose the virtue of hope (4:22).
- Suffering as Grace: A central theme is the importance of viewing all life events—pleasant or painful—as graces from God intended to help us reach heaven. He encourages parents to train their children from a young age to see God's will in all things (5:52, 8:21).
- Combating Sins Against Hope: Father Hardon identifies the primary sins against hope as despair (giving up on salvation) and presumption (expecting heaven without effort or repentance). He warns against "sinful discouragement" and highlights the Sacrament of Penance as a vital "sacrament of divine hope" that restores our relationship with God (14:37, 16:14).
Father Hardon concludes by stressing the necessity of constant prayer, sharing his own personal habit of frequent aspirations, including his devotion to the Memorare (18:43, 21:29).
