The Gift of Fortitude

We have considered fortitude as a virtue. We are to speak of fortitude now as one of the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost. Fortitude as a virtue disposes a person to firmness in good,despite great dangers. Fortitude as a gift of God moves a man tosteadfastness in perils, and gives him confident hope of eternalfife at the last. The gift makes the exercise of the virtue easier,richer, more confident.

The gift of fortitude moves man to virtuous living,which is difficult, and gives him a spiritual desire for “the works of justice” (as virtuous deeds in general are called).This spiritual desire is comparable to the bodily desire of a man for food and drink. Thus, the gift of fortitude stands in correspondence with the fourth beatitude (Matt. 5:6): “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice.”