Author: Virginia Lieto

You can find Virginia blogging about the virtues at virginialieto.com. Virginia has a Master of Arts Degree in Pastoral Theology. She is an adjunct professor of Theology at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. Virginia is the author of a children's book titled, "Adventures of Faith, Hope and Charity - Finding Patience." Virginia is also a public speaker on the Catholic faith. She lives in Harrisburg, NC with her husband Nick.

Humble or Prideful? Why We Must Choose

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

humility 3

Humble. We should all be humble. We are human, and as humans we sin, make mistakes, and at times do not always make the wisest of decisions. We need to keep that in mind when pride wants to rear its ugly head. We need to remember that we are no better than anyone else. We need to remember that we are all created in God’s image and likeness. Humility gives us strength – yes strength – to resist temptations to sin, because when clothed with the virtue of Humility, we are opened“… to the grace of God…Humility is the basis for all good action, for it acknowledges our obligations to serve and to be lovingly obedient to God. Humility recognizes the worth and value of the neighbor and does not demean his or her accomplishments or virtues. Humility promotes the well-being of conscience, leading to prudence, astuteness and thoughtfulness.”1  Read more…

Humility: How Utterly Misunderstood!

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

Humility

Humility: How utterly misunderstood this virtue can be in the minds of humankind! I will be the first to admit that I fall into the camp of those who have truly misunderstood the value of the virtue of humility until I started to research this virtue in depth. Once I knew what humility was really all about, I began praying to Jesus for a clean and humble heart.

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No Good Deed Goes Unrewarded!

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

Corporal Works

No good deed goes unrewarded! I know, I know – the real and often quoted phrase is “no good deed goes unpunished!” How cynical is that? I’m glad God doesn’t think like that. Rather, He rewards us for good and merciful deeds. We may not see the rewards instantaneously in this life, but the rewards for our good and merciful deeds will be received, if not on earth, then in Heaven.  It is in the performance of good deeds, especially via the extension of mercy that we get where we need to be: virtuous and holy in God’s eyes! That’s where I want to be! So, how do we get there?

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Why Be Merciful? What’s in It for Me?

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

 

Unmerciful Servant 2

Merciful – me – why should I be merciful? Isn’t it enough that I forgive, I now need to be merciful? Serious gut check here – how many times have you secretly had these thoughts? If you are like me, you have had these thoughts more often than you would like to admit. Mercy is a tough virtue to “want” to grasp, from a “giving mercy” perspective because we naturally think it’s a one way proposition – the other guy gets the mercy, but “What’s in it for me?” As human beings, we always want a quid-pro-quo (I do something for you, you do something for me). However, that is contrary to how mercy works. When we provide that softer attitude toward a repentant sinner rather than the deserved punishment, we are in essence, giving a person a second chance. That is why many of us find it difficult to be merciful.

So, let me shed some light on what’s in it for you to be merciful:

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Mercy – Is It Only for Christ to Give?

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

divine mercy 3

Mercy – How elusive is this virtue from one’s grasp? Is it something only Christ can give, or can we give mercy to others? Are we expected to give mercy?

Mercy is as elusive as you want it to be – it’s that simple! Christ is at the ready, waiting to bestow His Mercy upon you. All you need to do is acknowledge that you need His Mercy, and that means acknowledging your sinfulness. For some, that is difficult to do; for others it is easy. Therein lays the answer to the elusiveness of Christ’s Mercy. The choice is yours.

Mercy is defined as a preference to provide a softer attitude toward a repentant sinner rather than the deserved punishment. Mercy was Jesus’ calling card throughout His ministry. He was…Read more…

Difficult to Forgive? Pray!

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

Forgiveness

Pray! Forgiving others is not an easy task. On many occasions, it will take some Divine assistance. Sometimes the hurt is so great we can’t even see or think clearly. We are so caught up in the emotion that forgiveness is the last thing on our minds. It’s during times like this that we must first pray. We need to ask God to alleviate the pain caused by the offense. We then need to pray for the ability to forgive. Actual forgiveness requires us to let go of the harbored anger and resentment. We must relinquish the pain to God, so that He may free our souls to love and trust again.

There are two things to consider when determining whether to forgive someone or not: Read more…

 

Forgive Others – What’s In It For Me?

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

Forgiveness 4Forgive others – Not so easy a task now is it? What stops us from being able to forgive others who have hurt us? Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, a time set aside for us to repent, pray and give alms. To repent means that we are sorry for what we have done wrong. To repent is to ask for forgiveness. Yet, if we really listen to the words from the Our Father, where we recite “Forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive those who have trespassed against us,” what we are really asking is to be forgiven to the extent that we forgive others. That word AS may be a little word, but it carries a big punch.  Can any of us really say that we have forgiven others to the extent that we would want to be forgiven? Read more…

 

Forgiveness: Why Did It Take Almost 40 Years?

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

Forgiveness does not always come easily. Forgiveness, when given to others, is done more for yourself, than for the person being forgiven. To forgive someone for an offense committed against you is to release yourself from the bond that the offense has created.  I have an excellent example from my own life to prove the point. It took about 40 years to forgive a life changing hurt; yet through forgiveness, I became a better person. Read more…

Good Deeds: What Impact Do They Have on You?

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

It’s Random Acts of Kindness week. Want some ideas on how you can spread kindness?

Good deeds are acts of kindness, filled with love and compassion. Any good deed performed is a virtuous act, as long as it is accompanied by good intentions. Therefore, good deeds are virtuous. There are several ways to practice good deeds; each one bringing joy not only to the recipient, but also to the giver, with a rippling effect that spreads outward. Here are a few suggestions:

On the spur of the moment, do something nice for someone else! Let the inspiration seize you and act upon it! After all, this is Random Acts of Kindness week! Give a smile…Read more…

Random Acts of Kindness – Are You In?

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

Random Acts of Kindness Week starts today and ends February 15th! Are you with me? Are you willing to perform random acts of kindness this week?

“Much unkindness results from envy.”1 If we cannot find it within ourselves to be kind to others, it is because we are too worried about what we do not have. Perhaps it’s not enough money, clothes, food, etc. Thus, we are reluctant to give from our excess, let alone our need. If we possess the virtue of kindness then we are willing to share with others, even from our meager means. Take a look at this video. It demonstrates that to be kind, you also need to be compassionate; to give of yourself to another:  Read more…