Hall of Virtues

By Chidi J. Anaenye

The modern man contests the veracity of creation. Evident from contemporary philosophy, there is increasing inquiry on proof of the gospel and demand for authentication of the faith. Invariably, an evolutionary trend is ordained in the emergence of a new god – the perfect man – who can satisfy all needs and solve all problems. Thus the truth faces antagonism or competitive inhibition when aligned with outright falsehood or twisted version: the half-truth. In the modern man, the atheist may find either an identity or accomplice in his own demonstrable puerility, personal vendetta and moral rebellion against a perceived passive God. A unique spiritual rejuvenation in the mode of intellectual exercise could appeal to all men, including the lukewarm saints and serve as the benevolent bait that draws the fishes to the Good News of God's love. More than the shadow of doubt, the greater need is the substance of grace. Virtue is the manifestation of the nature and character of grace. The Heart is the Hall of Virtues.

If life is a play, it can be mistaken for a comedy. Beyond the overwhelming scenes of tragedy, we can always find the humour and imbibe the morals. That way, we can maintain both our sanity and integrity. Like actors committed to the script, we are made heroes or villains by the controlled narratives in the theatre of make-believe. Though, we choose neither the crew nor the roles we play. Yet, we are judged for the deeds of the characters we cast. We are blamed for the epic battle for survival by men in the ages we set. We are criticized for the plot of circumstance which matched the victim with the aggressor in the human struggle for existence. And one could be forgiven for thinking that we actually put the entire cosmos together. Whoever determined the weaker beings among humans of different sexes, ages and races might have shown a singularly raw taste in the matter. But, should we remain indifferent to the subject of freewill?

On the screenplays, image is all that matters. But behind the screens, we always get to choose who we become. We always have a choice either to be weak or strong. The tragedy isn’t the assigned vicious roles or the receiving ends we found ourselves in life. The real tragedy is the choices we make on a daily basis to remain victims of circumstance. We choose to wear the medals of honour as removable emblems of dignity instead of shields for survival. We yearn for illusive appraisal of the public rather than true witness of the community. We respond to fears of the past more than love of the future and the joy it beholds to all that embraces it with hope. We vote for the morbid dreams of a sworn fundamentalist against the livid hopes of a progressive generation in need of visionary leadership. We prefer the benevolent crumps from a master’s table who keeps us in chains, to the prudent refinement by the furnace of a liberator who melts our chains. Those are merely choices, it seems. Yet those are the very choices which define who we are. They are the very decisions which determine our fate or destiny much more than the ancestral root whose bloodline we claimed or the astrological star whose trail ran across the land of our birth to the crystal ball of a fortune teller. It is attributed unto us in this lifetime to depict the hallmark of virtues as the very expressions of our inner being. It is expected of us to apprehend the power in knowledge of our existence and utilize it for the greater good. We should defend the innocent, fight for the weak and help the poor. We should imbibe enduring morals which attenuate our fears and reduce our susceptibility to human wiles or perceptions.

Image is nothing. Value is everything. Real value is placed on substance not shadow. The substance of grace is evident only in the life of the virtuous man. And its sufficiency is proven amidst the harshest circumstance or deepest shadow of reality.
We should all believe in miracles!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chidi J. Anaenye
• Release date: Jun 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463980316

Chidi J. Anaenye

Chidi J. Anaenye is a Biochemist, Clinical Psychologist and Creative Writer.

Book preview

HALL OF VIRTUES

INTRODUCTION

Virtues are like flowers . Values are the fruits. A man planted an orchard to grow, blossom and enliven his own home. His neighbourhood was enriched by its fragrance and nourished by its fruits. A man’s virtues may primarily edify his own mind but the values serve to enlighten and empower his generation. Innate abilities and capacities are meant to be of greater benefit to the common good than for individual gain. Thus, one should live in service of another: to serve and not to be served. One must be fruitful by adding value to life. Virtue without value is vicious, vindictive and venomous. In other words, without a substance of value, a virtue degenerates to a vice. Vices are like weeds bearing false fruits. Of self-righteousness; there is always need to manage the vicious complication of pride by strictly inculcating the value of humility in productivity. By sufficiency of grace, vices are extirpated like weeds on the garden of human mind. By strong hands of the potter, the broken clay is crushed and remoulded into utility vessel. On the workbench of the blacksmith, the rusted iron is melted and refined into an alloy or luminescent metal glowing from the heat of the furnace. That is transformation.

Virtues are like candles. Light is the value. As the flame glows, the oxygen burns and the wax melts down. Such is the virtuous. As his light shines, his blood flows and his life ebbs away. No candle can ignite itself. A glowing splint needs to be rekindled by the breath of air. A prepared mind needs to be renewed by the wind of grace; which unleashes the tongues of inspiration. A strong body works freely in obedience to the call to be fruitful. A pure soul answers peacefully the invitation of perpetual grace. A man lives solely to kindle a light in the darkness of existence. As he illuminates the void of the earth with his sweat and blood, he leads the way in the progressive work of creation. He arouses the desire for perfection and raises the human mind to the threshold of divinity. He opens the eyes of many but eventually closes his own eyes in death. He blesses the lives of others and yet dies in desperate need of grace. He heals the sick of their ailments but finally succumbs to his own syndrome. He uplifts the burden of affliction and yet labours under the yoke of his own cross. He saved others but couldn’t save himself. Hence, his faith is renewed in the value of ultimate but living sacrifice. His memory is offered in flesh and blood. That is transubstantiation.

Virtues are like medals. An imaginary hallow encircles the head of a saint as a medal adorns the neck of a hero. Beyond the medal is the honour. Beyond the honour is the grace. There is an inward meaning for every outward sign. This ordains the sacramental value of laurels. There is a touch of grace in our everyday reality. Life is a miracle. Vision grants hope. Dreams are free. The man that walks in the path of freedom follows the lead of love to a glorious destination. The race of life is less about winning or losing. It’s more about surviving. This is the utmost need: to survive. This is the trophy that awaits all that blazes the trail of life: a reward of eternal peace – joy and fruitfulness – as experienced by the immortal soul. Honour is like a seed of peace placed in the hand of the diligent worker, who then has more seeds to sow, more fruits to bear and more expectations to meet. Honour reinvigorates the body for greater works. To him who perseveres, strength is added. Honour isn’t praises. No one receives praise for unfinished works. Only in divinity is found the mark of perfection. Honour is given in recognition of proven merit or capacity for service. Therefore, honorary awards of excellence only project the need for greater effort in the field of endeavour. Beyond the surface, virtues are represented as attributes or markers of character formation. In other words, virtues are projected as the truest identity of an individual. That which is unseen becomes the substance. And that which is visible becomes the shadow. That is transfiguration.

Now, let’s tell a story:

A young woman visited an elderly man. Both of them were noble laureates. The young woman was recently honoured. Welcoming her, the elderly man beckoned, ‘Come my daughter, I have wanted to see you.’

The young woman was curious and replied, ‘Professor, you are one of the greatest minds of your generation and you wanted to see me?’ She turned to the professor’s daughter and inquired from her if he really wanted to see her.

The daughter affirmed, ‘We made several contacts, trying to reach you on his behalf.’

Humbled the young woman sat down on a nearby cushion and directly faced the professor who sat reclined on a half-bent adjustable sofa.

‘Now, you have seen me. Please tell me in all honesty: what do you see in me?’

The professor laughed and answered, ‘Your identity is yours to define, my daughter. However, your image as projected is open to scrutiny. I may match your recorded words to your known actions; and then draw a logical inference from the measures of deviation. I may also let a historian identify a pattern from your chequered past and relate it to your ancestral root. Yet on both occasions I shall be found guilty of arriving at the wrong conclusions almost at every turn. The fact is: who you were yesterday is not who you are today. You are young now. Tomorrow you will become old, like me. Your image is simply a variation of time and space.’

In the professor’s view, a man’s true nature is hidden inside of him. What the world sees is just the shadow and not the substance. Personality is like the intangible matter whose energy empowers the individual, and determines his actions or the image he wants to project to the world. But, the image is only real because the true matter exists. Grace is the true nature or substance of existence. It is the power of will that favours a prepared mind. The nature of grace is likened to a flame which burns to show the effects of light and shade on the artistic dimensional surface. That is to say, the essence of the substance is rather appreciated in contrast to the shadow. The grace is the spirit.

‘You are highly spirited and motivated,’ continued the professor. ‘But on the face value, this is all I can see before me: a woman with obvious shadows of veneration, decoration and articulation. You may show me what you are made of; or who is truly inside you.’

The young woman was taken aback. Thinking briefly, she said, ‘Alright, let’s eliminate the obvious shadows, then we are left with the real me. Let’s remove the cloaks so we can get to the skins.’

She unpinned the medal of honour on her left breast pocket and set it aside on the desk. ‘There goes the object of veneration. My respect is gone and I should neither demand nor earn it back; for now. I forgo the glitz of my youth and aura of my fame.’

The professor rejoined, ‘Same with me...’ He cut a slice off the hairs on his head and set them aside on the desk.

Then the young woman proceeded to remove her coat and placed it on the hanger. ‘Shedding this apron of decoration, I shall have lost my beauty and dignity.’

‘Same with me...’ The professor made another cut on his hair.

Looking at the professor’s long grey hairs, the young woman was both amused and puzzled at the hair-cut gestures. She imagined it could take more than a thousand cuts or slices like that just to get the hairs low. She gently adjusted her own oiled and plated hair.

‘Now what do I do with my well-articulated speeches and all vestiges of intellect I have within me? I should make away with them too and become like a commoner. Mind you, that will make me quite unintelligible.’

The professor replied, ‘The common man is more rational than he appears. He may speak with figures different from that of the elite but that doesn’t make him less eloquent. However, it is less a grade of intelligence than it is a measure of perspective. The commoner sees the world from a natural point of view – he simply sows the seeds and reaps the fruits. Yet, he trusts in the supernatural forces which would bring the rain and bless the harvest. He has a balanced view of life. That way, he is both productive and happy. We should all be commoners.’

‘Well then,’ said the young woman. ‘I should close my eyes, suspend my speech and maintain my silence.’

It was quiet between them for a brief moment. Then the young woman broke the silence. ‘What is there to be seen? It’s all dark inside. There is nothing but emptiness.’

‘My daughter, this is all that would remain when light is gone: void. You have had a taste of oblivion. You can now appreciate your greatest need of survival. Your life is a valuable gift to the earth as long as you keep showing the light and sharing the love.’ 

Silence is a moment of reality which reveals human emptiness and reminds of our primordial existence. When we go to sleep we experience a certain void and momentary oblivion. That was state of the natural outlook before the creation of all things and emergence of consciousness. Darkness was the real nature of the earth before the arrival of light. Darkness is the reality. Light is the grace. Everyday has got its star. And every star has got its light. At sunrise, light reigns over darkness. At sunset, the dark reality creeps back in. When we look into ourselves we may recoil at the reality of our wretchedness. When the grace goes, we are faced with obvious despair. Therefore, the reception of vision grants fullness of hope.

This is our perfect commission:

(1) To rekindle the light of every glowing splint.

(2) To restore the vision of every lost hope.

(3) To refresh the breath of every dying bone.  

(4) To regain the trust of every broken heart.

(5) To renew the grace of every prepared mind.

(6) To reclaim the blessings of every afflicted soul.

(7) To release the power of every enchained flesh.

Thence our common vision is: To bring all men to the light and will of God. 

‘Now put on your medal and coat.’ The professor told the young woman, who then complied with him. ‘Again, I will tell you what I see. I see a young, intelligent and beautiful woman. I see a model for emulation by her peers and a subject of motivation for the society. I see a star for illumination of her world. If I choose to believe in a Supreme Being that could do all the impossible things they claim, let it be on the day I behold this amazing icon of beauty and gem of creation. You are the woman of substance whose tender touches could melt the ice of doubt. Beneath the medal at your chest is the true substance of honour – your heart. Protect it at all times.’

The young woman was left speechless. Then she got up to leave.

‘One more thing, my daughter,’ said the professor. ‘Next time you wish to remove something of value for the benefit of analogy, start with your precious hair not the medal. Trust me on this: you will live longer. When you have grown old and your hairs have turned grey, you may not need to make a show of it.’

If life is a play, it can be mistaken for a comedy. Beyond the overwhelming scenes of tragedy, we can always find the humour and imbibe the morals. That way, we can maintain both our sanity and integrity. Like actors committed to the script, we are made heroes or villains by the controlled narratives in the theatre of make-believe. Though, we choose neither the crew nor the roles we play. Yet, we are judged for the deeds of the characters we cast. We are blamed for the epic battle for survival by men in the ages we set. We are criticized for the plot of circumstance which matched the victim with the aggressor in the human struggle for existence. And one could be forgiven for thinking that we actually put the entire cosmos together. Whoever determined the weaker beings among humans of different sexes, ages and races might have shown a singularly raw taste in the matter. But, should we remain indifferent to the subject of freewill?

On the screenplays, image is all that matters. But behind the screens, we always get to choose who we become. We always have a choice either to be weak or strong. The tragedy isn’t the assigned vicious roles or the receiving ends we found ourselves in life. The real tragedy is the choices we make on a daily basis to remain victims of circumstance.  We choose to wear the medals of honour as removable emblems of dignity instead of shields for survival. We yearn for illusive appraisal of the public rather than true witness of the community. We respond to fears of the past more than love of the future and the joy it beholds to all that embraces it with hope. We vote for the morbid dreams of a sworn fundamentalist against the livid hopes of a progressive generation in need of visionary leadership. We prefer the benevolent crumps from a master’s table who keeps us in chains, to the prudent refinement by the furnace of a liberator who melts our chains. Those are merely choices, it seems. Yet those are the very choices which define who we are. They are the very decisions which determine our fate or destiny much more than the ancestral root whose bloodline we shared and the astrological star whose trail ran across the land of our birth to the crystal ball of a fortune teller. It is attributed unto us in this lifetime to depict the hallmark of virtues as the very expressions of our inner being. It is expected of us to apprehend the power in knowledge of our existence and utilize it for the greater good. We should defend the innocent, fight for the weak and help the poor. 

Image is nothing. Value is everything. Real value is placed on substance not shadow. The substance of grace is evident only in the life of the virtuous man. And its sufficiency is proven amidst the harshest circumstance or deepest shadow of reality. 

We should all believe in miracles!

THE TWELVE VIRTUES

(1 ) Fundamental (or Canonical) Virtues:  Obedience, Wisdom and Power

(2) Theological (or Apostolic) Virtues:  Love, Faith and Hope

(3) Corporal (or Noble)Virtues:   Work, Dignity and Chastity

(4) Cardinal (or Universal) Virtues:   Integrity, Justice and Freedom

CHAPTER ONE

FUNDAMENTAL VIRTUES

Obedience is the first virtue. It was significant to creation and thus fundamental to existence. The command was given and freely obeyed: Let there be light! And there was light. Obedience is exalted above all virtues. All creations are bounded in discipline and humility to the service of the Creator. Obedience is invaluable to nature and regulated order of existence. The forces of the universe are held in infinite compliance to specific ordinance. In an ordered motion, the earth freely rotates on its axis and revolves round the sun. The moon gives its light at dusk and the sun emerges to takes its turn at dawn. The elements of matter keep in constant their energy by mass and distance with time. Their non-compliance would undermine conscience existence as it were, break the wheel of civilization and invariably spell doom for humanity.  All works are justified in obedience.

The virtue of obedience grants the grace of goodness to the worker. Hence, his acts are considered good works. Obedience forms the solid bedrock on which is upheld the true tenets of life and existence. This is reflected in the graceful amalgamation of empirical facts and proven testimonies into the ultimate truth. Science and revelation reach a common destination in the arena of freedom, where truth is the knowledge which emancipates the obedient and willing man from mental slavery.  All virtuous intentions and actions are sanctified in obedience. Simply put, obedience is the hallmark of the virtuous. To obey is to respond freely to a just ordinance or call to duty or invitation to work. Therefore, obedience is fundamental to: the corporal virtue of work, the theological virtue of faith and the cardinal virtue of freedom. Duty is prescribed by authority and confirmed in obedience. Faith like a seed can only germinate on the fertile ground of obedience, as the cloud releases its rain and the earth yields her nutrients. In other words, faith is deeply rooted in obedience.

There is a real danger for any tree of faith not growing upon the root of obedience. It forms deviant branches of fanaticism while yielding fruits of destruction. When a man’s avowed faith in his Creator contradicts the moral principles of love and regulated order of nature, he inevitably breaks the membrane of freedom and betrays the integrity of creation. The resultant aggressiveness relates a relapse of the individual to extremism and ultimately a return to a primordial state – void of his soul.

The great faith is proven by the virtue of obedience and doctrine of power. The keywords are: obedience and power. In a real life demonstration, we may rehearse the dramatic encounter of two men of authority.  One was a renowned prophet. The other was a high ranking military officer. They both commanded the obedience of their disciplined and faithful followers. They wielded power which resided in diverse realm. One ruled in the spiritual. The other ruled in the physical. Yet, in reality, the divergent rays of their jurisdiction, methodology and belief would find a meeting point in obedience. They simply gave orders, and were obeyed. And it was regarded as an analogy for demonstration of great faith and of course, power. Obedience is the key to unlocking the treasures of life.

Humility is the pathway to understanding the mysteries of creation. True knowledge is known only to the Creator and those who lives in His Light, humbled before Him and obedient to His command. There are multiple chapters in the scroll of life. The verses are instructional and deep; albeit contradictory. The wise scholar seeks guidance from his teacher. It is in submission to the supreme knowledge that the freeman discovers the pathway to his destiny. Obedience is essential to life.

Every breath is a call to live. The life of purpose is lived in obedience to the call. The moment the call ends, breath ceases and death occurs. In an individual, there are different realms of understanding, each of which poses a logical query or valid point for consideration. The objective always is to stand on the side of truth. But, who knows the truth? The honest projections are derived from mere facts. The facts are verifiable from empirical data. Data are derived from trials and experimentations. Yet, this is the source of proven theories, principles and codes on which an individual may live his life. Truth is a moral derivative from a life of experience. The failures and successes of a man’s life are recorded as testaments to the fact of his very existence. They are authentic and verifiable. And from them an individual can derive enduring principles to guide his own life. At every cross road and for every decision making stance, inferences from history