The Virtue That Takes Virtue to the Next Level

Fr. Mike introduces us to the virtue that makes other virtues excellent: magnanimity.

If someone asked you what the most essential virtues are, you might say humility, faith, hope, or love. But have you ever heard of the virtue of magnanimity? What this virtue does is it magnifies—or makes greater—other virtues within someone. In other words, it’s to strive for excellence.

This is not to be confused with the vice of pride, which relies on the gifts of oneself without acknowledging any help that may come from another person or even God. Instead, a magnanimous person sees the gifts God has given them and chooses to emphasize them in their life as a way to honor him.

Consequently, every saint must be magnanimous; they must be great for the Lord. Even saints who have the most different and opposite lifestyles become one in the same, purely through their desire to be excellent, not for the sake of themselves, but as a “thank you” to the Lord.

One way to strive for magnanimity is to avoid the temptation to it’s opposing vice, which is pusillanimity. Pusillanimity is the direct opposite of magnanimity: it’s to shy away from the gifts God has given you, out of timidity. This is different from humility, because where humility is acknowledging that your gifts are not your own, pusillanimity is refraining from using those gifts in the first place.

By embracing the gifts God has given us and using them to glorify him, we are being magnanimous. It doesn’t matter what stage of life you’re in, how old you are, or what your gifts consist of. All of us have the opportunity to be magnanimous, and all of us have the opportunity to be saints.

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[rosemarycooper]

I love that saying that God gives us gifts and we use them to make a gift for Him. Father Mike I love your enthusiasm!

[godsstrength]

This is why we should fear God and nothing else. Becoming magnanimous requires us to be courageous and voluntarily choose the hard path.

[hannahnymous]

This was my biggest struggle as a Catholic. I used to believe that desiring and pursuing great things is a sin. They said Christian life is an adventure and so you must give up your desires and follow God's will always. But in effect, this made me feel stucked and depressed because I thought having a dream is sinful. "The world is bad" "give up all worldly desires" "happiness cannot be found in this life" mentality that so many Catholics possess is just negative and depressing. I suffered depression and anxiety because of that way of thinking. It felt like the only way to God is to enter a convent and pray all day while waiting for your death.

Thank God I stumbled upon the book, The Power of Positive Thinking. It was written by a Protestant Pastor Norman Vincent Peale and it helped me realize that God wants all of His children to be successful, to shine, to be excellent, and to be joyful in this life. Our Lord Jesus said He came so that we may have life and have it abundantly. Regardless of our circumstances, we should be happy and grateful for we know that God loves us, God is always with us, and God is in control. Knowing this truth made me feel more grateful, energized, and hopeful for the future. I want to thrive and be excellent so God will be proud of me and I will be capable to help others. I hope Catholics will put more emphasis on the Virtue of Magnanimity and cultivating a positive mindset.

[parmiggianoreggie-ano]

I needed this.
God gifted me with many great talents and I often waste them with false humilty out of fear of failing...

I want to stretch towards greatness, a big thank you for God! :P

[Elysreine]

He must become greater; I must become less. ❤🧡💛💚💙💜

[Littlemermaid]

Grateful to live in a era where we have such easy access to excellent Catholic content 🥰🥰🥰 praise God.

[BombshellArtist]

for my brother - Adam Sibley- passes this past Sunday 9-26-84 - 8-11-24. I will be doing this! Before seeing this- I slept good today, for the first time since he passed. Thank you for this message! I know he made it home.

[MadisonJarboe]

Pusillanimity - never heard that one before. A great concept to keep in mind.

[sharkie]

Father mike schmitz you've gotten me though alot thank you

[LostArchivist]

Oh God, do grant us many magmanimous Saints. Through our Blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, now and forever. Amen.

[tavialessor]

Jard to follow until you said Gods gift to you is who you are and who you become is our gift back to him.

[litzyr]

Please pray for me. I am praying for the gift of faith because I did not take care of it and “gave it away”. But I remember what it was like to love God, now I am lost.

[-gina]

AWSEOME!!! AND INSPIRING!!! video Father Mike!!! Thank you so much!!! and Thank you so much Ascension Presents!!! God bless you!!!

[angelaartist]

Here we go, God's speaking to me again! He wants me to give up everything for him and in a sense become poor i havent even looked at this gift of poverty out of fear, but i need to do it... I should trust God and im sorry, i need to do this.

[UnionBlue-he]

The Mexican war was, as we have seen, a signal example of this resorting to might instead of right, and employing the strong arm of force to compel the surrender of a part of another country. It was a compound of the crime of the highway-man, who puts his pistol at your head, and cries, " Deliver, or die, " and the truckling of the pedlar who trades in small wares, and chuckles over his hard-driven bargain after it is made. Never was there a finer opportunity for what might be called “national magnanimity”, than for the stronger power in this case to bear and forbear with the weaker one, and aid, not thwart it, in carrying out the experiment of republican institutions.

-Abiel Livermore, war with Mexico reviewed

[נדבבנימינילוינשטיין]

Thank you very much.
Love from the Holy Land

[albertinadumea]

Many new people at work are saying to me that I m a very patient person and they feel at peace with me. I' ll strive to be a more patient one! 🤗🤗 Hope I understand well the message! God bless!

[rosejimenez]

Greetings Father Mike being educated thru a Catholic Faith got me thru some really challenging times as a minor child and thru my adult hood. I have always respected Priests and Nuns and admired their discipline and love for God. In a world of greed I seen and been thru alot growing up heard war stories seen soldiers depressed and the best advice I could give was to say a prayer everyday talk to God in private go to mass when feeling lonely. I respect commandments and laws. I respect people and that we are not made the same but with different cultures and skills. You are from my generation and enjoy hearing you explain the bible because some men don't have a clue. In the bible it does speak about a shepard that knows how to lead its sheep.

[estherpalazuelosrodriguez]

Lovely lecture, Father. Thank you so much!

[antoniettacorsi]

Hi Fr. Mike. I live alone listening/watching your videos is like you are company. God Bless You! We need faithful priests like you.