Lesson 2: Desire for Virtue & Perfection
“The first thing necessary to gain wisdom… is a true and heartfelt desire of it.”
1. The Necessity of Spiritual Desire
Doctrine: A strong desire (“hunger and thirst”) for holiness is essential to attaining virtue.
Key Idea:
It is not enough to want to be good—true progress requires deep, urgent longing for goodness.
Supporting Scriptures:
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Matthew 5:6 — “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice”
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Psalm 41:1 — “As the hart thirsteth… so my soul desireth thee”
Theological Principle:
Grace builds upon desire—God fills those who genuinely long for holiness and righteousness.
2. Desire Drives Spiritual Growth
Doctrine: What we value most determines what we pursue most.
Key Idea:
The intensity of one’s desire for God determines the effort and diligence in pursuing Him.
Supporting Scriptures:
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Wisdom 6:18 — Desire is the beginning of wisdom
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Proverbs 11:6 — Righteousness delivers
Theological Principle:
The end shapes the means—a strong love for holiness motivates disciplined action and perseverance.
3. True Change Must Come from Within
Doctrine: External pressure (rules, correction, supervision) cannot produce lasting virtue without internal desire.
Key Idea:
Progress in holiness must come from the heart, not from fear or external force.
Supporting Scriptures:
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Matthew 19:21 — “If thou wilt be perfect…”
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Wisdom 3:7 — The just run like sparks in fire
Theological Principle:
Interior transformation is essential—true virtue comes from love of God, not external compulsion.
4. Sustained Desire Makes Virtue Easier
Doctrine: When the desire for God remains strong, spiritual practices become easier and more joyful.
Key Idea:
Spiritual dryness and difficulty come from a lack of desire, not from the practices themselves.
Supporting Scriptures:
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Ephesians 4:13 — Growth into spiritual maturity
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Matthew 6:33 — Seek first the kingdom
Theological Principle:
Love transforms effort into delight—what is loved becomes easier, and what is neglected becomes difficult.
Applicable Reflections
Self-Examination Questionnaire:
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Do I truly “hunger” for holiness, or do I only desire it weakly?
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Am I motivated by love for God or by fear, pressure, or routine?
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Have I lost the zeal and desire I once had for spiritual growth?
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Do I take personal responsibility for my spiritual progress?
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Spiritual Application:
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Renew your desire — ask God daily for a deeper longing for holiness.
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Act on desire immediately — follow spiritual movements with concrete action.
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Reject excuses — do not blame circumstances for lack of growth.
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Return to your first fervor — recall why you began your spiritual journey.
What does Rodriguez have to say?
"Else tell me, how came it to be so easy for you to leave the world and enter religion, except that it came from your heart to do so? The Lord gave you a strong will and affection for it; that was the grace of your vocation. He rid you of affection for the things of the world and set your affection on the things of religion, and with that He made it easy for you."
Alphonsus Rodriguez, The Practice of Perfection and Christian Virtues, trans. Joseph Rickaby, Vol. I (Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1929), p. 15.