Prudence, Mother of All Virtues
A couple of weeks ago, I started participating in a seminar on natural law, and I heard a phrase that caught my attention: “Without prudence, the other virtues could not exist.” This sparked my curiosity and my desire to learn more about it.
To begin with, prudence is the first of the cardinal virtues, followed by justice, fortitude, and temperance, and it governs all the others. In other words, every virtue must first and foremost be prudent. For example, courage without prudence turns into recklessness, and generosity without prudence becomes wastefulness. Sin, therefore, is the result of a lack of prudence. Prudence perfects our impulse to act.
To act prudently, one must first have an objective knowledge of things — that is, to know them for what they truly are. From this knowledge of reality, one determines what should or should not be done. Only those who understand how things are and how they unfold, are capable of acting rightly. Prudence, in short, means that what one desires and what one does are in accordance with the truth.
Christians, upon receiving baptism, receive an infused prudence that enables them to attain salvation. Yet there is an even more perfect prudence, one that provides a person not only with the tools to achieve their own salvation, but also to help others attain it.
Prudence must have three essential elements: memory, docility, and skill. Memory allows us to always, and in all circumstances, remember what is true and good; otherwise, we risk distorting the truth according to our desires or preferences. For example, I may know that bribery is wrong, but when the opportunity arises to do it for personal gain, I forget that it is immoral. Docility refers to the humility to accept advice and let go of the tendency to always want to be right. Skill is the ability to act rightly in the face of the unexpected, overcoming any temptation toward injustice, cowardice, or lack of temperance.
As we strive for more perfect prudence, we must also be aware that there are two types of false prudence: one by deficiency, which consists of failing to act out of fear or cowardice, waiting for absolute certainty where none exists; and one by excess, which is a cunning use of circumstances for personal gain.
A virtuous person must seek assurance in the experiences of a well-lived life, in the integrity of their intentions, and in God’s providence, waiting silently and humbly for the right moment to act.
Prudence, in summary, is the rudder that sets the course for our journey toward perfection.
Mother María Elena Martínez is a nun, born in Mexico City, where she still resides today. She has had a consecrated life for more than 30 years. She is currently a member of a community called María Madre del Amor which is dedicated to evangelization through Emmaus retreats in parishes and prisons and Sicar retreats for young people.
