Lent 2026 - Reading #15 - Fortitude
Reading
Thomas Aquinas teaches that fortitude is the virtue that strengthens the soul against the greatest trials: "The principal act of fortitude is endurance, that is to say, to stand immovable in the midst of dangers rather than to attack them. For it is more difficult to endure than to attack. Fortitude of soul must be that which binds the will firmly to the good of reason in face of the greatest evils. He who endures a difficulty stands firm; he who attacks it merely advances." Aquinas further distinguishes true fortitude from mere fearlessness: "Fortitude is concerned with fear and daring, as restraining fear and moderating daring. The brave man does not lack fear altogether; rather, he fears rightly, he fears what ought to be feared, and stands firm against what must be endured. Fearlessness that proceeds from ignorance or insensibility is not fortitude but foolishness." For Aquinas, the paradigm of fortitude is the martyr, one who endures the ultimate evil, death itself, for the sake of the ultimate good. But every lesser endurance participates in this pattern: the parent who perseveres through exhaustion, the worker who maintains integrity under pressure, the soul that holds fast to hope in the darkness of depression or grief.
Reflection
We enter the third week of Lent and the third virtue: fortitude, the courage to endure. Our journey has equipped us with the clear sight of prudence and the outward orientation of justice; now we face the question that tests both: What do you do when doing the right thing is hard? When it costs you? When it hurts? Aquinas makes a surprising claim: the highest act of fortitude is not attacking but enduring. Our culture celebrates the warrior charging into battle, but Aquinas insists that the deeper courage belongs to the one who stands firm when there is no glory, no audience, no immediate hope of victory. This is profoundly Lenten. Lent itself is an exercise in endurance, the slow, undramatic discipline of showing up day after day, fasting when no one notices, praying when the words feel hollow. As we begin this week, be honest about where you are being called to endure. Not every battle in life is one we can win by attacking. Sometimes courage means staying, in a difficult marriage, a frustrating vocation, a period of spiritual dryness, and trusting that God is present even when we cannot feel it. The fortitude we cultivate this week will be essential for the remainder of our Lenten journey, and for the life that lies beyond it.