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.

Waiting on the Lord! Tick-Tock!

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

patience 2

Waiting on the Lord can be tough at times, especially in times of stress. Waiting on the Lord to provide sustenance, or direction, can seem like suffering in itself. Whether it is periods of unemployment, or waiting for medical results, the clock ticks slowly and it is easy for impatience to surface.

Patience requires an ability to corral our emotions, exercising composure and self-control (another virtue and fruit of the Holy Spirit). Saint Francis de Sales stated it best regarding why we should embrace patience, when he said:

…the more perfect our patience, the more perfectly do we possess our… Read more…

Patience in an Up-Tempo World

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

Patience-is-a-virtue

Patience in an up-tempo world – what a contradiction! The technology advances of the 20th century created an expectation for obtaining things NOW. With that, the virtue of patience seems to have fallen by the wayside. Does anyone even remember what it was like to be patient? Remember when you had to wait for the new school year to start to get some new clothes and shoes? Or do you remember waiting until your birthday to get that toy you really wanted? Or best yet, do you remember in the “olden” days when you actually waited until you saved… Read more…

Five Steps to Conquering Fear

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

conquering fear

Fear has no place in the heart, because it doesn’t come from God. Fear is used by the devil to keep us from doing God’s will. The devil will attempt to make us doubt our abilities, especially the ability to be courageous. How do we effectively shut the devil out and listen only to God? How do we become courageous?

We start with these five steps:

Pray

Ask the Lord to make His presence known to you in your heart; so that you know He is always with you, and will never leave you. “Fear not, I am with you; be not dismayed; I am your God. I will strengthen… Read more…

Be Not Afraid! Have Courage!

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

Be not afraid

Be Not Afraid! Have Courage! Not so easy? You ask, “Why should I be the one who acts so courageous? Look around! You don’t see anyone else stepping up to the plate!”

Hmm…need I say more? If no one acted courageously, and set the example for others to follow, we would all be swallowed up in fear – and fear comes from the devil. When you lack courage and you are aware of what makes you afraid, it is incumbent upon you to face those fears.

For me, I am afraid to take risks for fear of failure. If I… Read more…

Courage Cannot Be Denied!

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

Sts Peter and Paul

Courage cannot be denied! Think about that for a moment. Other people can deny you love, joy and peace, but no one can take courage away from you. That is because courage is found only from within. Solely by the grace of God, you have courage when you need it.

When I think of courageous people, I first think of martyrs; from the earliest Christians, like the Apostles, to the persecuted Christians of today. They all have one thing in common, the persecutors robbed them of their physical freedom and took their lives because they were… Read more…

 

Moral Disconnect Regarding Sex

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

Moral Disconnect

Moral disconnects regarding sex exist between God and man as a result of individualism, autonomy secularism, and concupiscence. Today, we are bombarded from all four fronts; fighting a moral battle within. Let’s start this discussion by first defining the four terms:

Individualism

“…there is a tendency to grant to the individual conscience the prerogative of independently determining the criteria of good and evil and then acting accordingly. Such an outlook is quite congenial to an individualist ethic, wherein each individual is faced with his own truth, different from the truth of others.” 1

Autonomy

“…the right to determine what… Read more…

Sex Inside/Outside of Marriage – God’s Stance

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

bible

This month we’ll hear from the U.S. Supreme Court. Before we do that, let’s hear what God has to say on the matter of sex inside and outside of the covenant of marriage.

Sex is a gift from God as a means for expressing self-giving love and for procreating children. If we believe this, then it behooves us all to be cognizant of God’s will in how we are to “be fertile and multiply” (Gen. 1:28). If one was to think that the expression of sexual love between any two people should be acceptable, then why does God think differently about fornication, adultery and sodomy? He has maintained the same position on these acts since the creation of Adam and Eve, never changing His position.

Before going further, let us first define the… Read more…

Chastity in the 21st Century???

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

chastity

Chastity tempers, regulates and moderates our sexual desires, thoughts and actions.1

According to God, Adam and Eve were instructed to “be fertile and multiply” (Gen 1:28). Jesus affirmed this instruction by stating, “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate” (Matt 19:6). Jesus teaches that through the covenantal oath of marriage and through the sexual union that ensues, the husband and wife become one. As a married couple, they are free to engage in sexual relations; to bring forth new life, thusly fulfilling God’s command to be fertile and multiply.

Scripture dictates that sexual relations are… Read more…

Road to Purity – The Road Less Traveled

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

theroadlesstraveled

The road to purity (holiness) is paved with repentance, leading us away from sin. The virtues are our guideposts on our journey, so that we know we are heading in the right direction. Prayer and receipt of the sacraments are our fuel. The Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes are the laws of the road. The Bible is our roadmap that helps us plot our course. Our own bodies are our mode of transportation. If we were smart, we would put Jesus in the driver’s seat!

Where are we headed? Why Heaven of course! From the moment that God breathed life… Read more…

Pure Hearts – Light as a Feather!

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

Holy_Spirit_Breaking_Chains

Pure Hearts mean light burdens, for it is sin that burdens and chains us down. With pure hearts we are free from sin. We are light as a feather! Jesus said, “Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for … my yoke is easy, and my burden light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Here Jesus speaks of the yoke of obedience, telling us that our lives would actually be much happier if we were to align our intellects and wills with His; that life would be… Read more…