Growing in Virtue

PEYTON CHIASSON lives with his wife Lillie and their newborn son, Benjamin in Chackbay. They are parishioners of Our Lady of Prompt Succor where Peyton serves on the Pastoral Council and in music ministry. Peyton is a leader in Workforce Development for OxyChem.

Prudence

Prudence comes from the Latin word “prudentia,” meaning foresight, wisdom, and good judgment. In Catholic teaching, it is one of the four cardinal virtues, along with justice, fortitude, and temperance. Prudence helps us choose the right course of action at any given moment, ensuring our decisions align with moral and ethical principles. The Catechism describes prudence as “the virtue that helps practical reason to recognize our true good in every situation and to choose the right way of achieving it” (CCC 1806). Although it may sound complex, prudence involves three simple steps: thinking things through, making a decision, and then acting on that decision.

In our fast-paced and often chaotic world, the virtue of prudence offers a beacon of clarity and stability to our lives. This virtue allows us to navigate life’s challenges with wisdom, ensuring that our actions reflect our deepest values and beliefs. As a Christian, I find great comfort and guidance in this virtue, and I encourage you to embrace it as well. Whether you realize it or not, I bet you practice this virtue every day. I can think of so many instances while practicing my faith, supporting my family, and managing my career where practicing prudence aligned me with my faith.

One experience that highlighted prudence for me was a career decision I had to make a few years ago. At the beginning of 2019, I was offered a promotional position with my company that would take me to Cleveland, Ohio. On the surface, it seemed like an easy decision. I had recently finished school, was single, and lived with my parents. Nothing was holding me back. However, the new role would take me 17 hours away from my family, friends, and the community that I hold so dear, into a world of complete unknown.

Using prudence, I took time to think things over. I sought advice from trusted friends, family members, and my many mentors. I prayed for guidance, asking for the wisdom to see beyond the immediate attraction of the promotion and past the ease of comfortability. I considered the long-term impacts on my personal life, my spiritual well-being, and my family dynamics. After careful thought, and with the support of those around me, I chose to accept the position, making the move to Cleveland. This decision, grounded in prudence, brought me peace and reinforced my commitment to living a life that reflects God’s will for my life. Although the move was short (I moved back to Louisiana at the very end of 2020), I made friendships, beautiful experiences, and met a new church community at St. Dominic that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Last year, I was blessed to have married my best friend and begin a new phase of life building a family. When I look back on my short time being a husband, practicing prudence in decisions that now affect my wife has been a challenge but a beauty in the design of family. My wife and I discern things, both big and small, trying our best to see the bigger picture, both important virtue, getting engaged, getting married, buying a home, preparing for our first child, all while supporting careers, family dynamics, trying to see our friends as much as possible, and most importantly keeping God forefront and center in our lives would not be possible. In those times where it feels like too much, we can pause, reflect, think logically, discern, and the answer feels clear.

For those of you looking to practice this important virtue of prudence in your own life, here are some practical steps that you can start today:

• Start by first seeking knowledge. Regularly engage with Scripture, Church teachings, and spiritual mentors. The more informed you are, the better equipped you will be to make prudent decisions.
  
  
• As Catholics, we believe in the power of prayer. Regularly ask God for the gift of prudence much like you look to Him for other practical matters of life.
  
  
• Seek the intercession of saints known for their wisdom, such as St. Thomas Aquinas or St. Augustine. Trust that the Holy Spirit will guide you in your decision-making process.
  
  
• Reflect on your past experiences. Identify moments when you made prudent decisions and when you did not. What were the outcomes? What can you learn from these experiences? Reflection helps you recognize patterns and apply those lessons to future situations.
  
  
• Don’t make significant decisions in isolation. Seek advice from trusted friends, family, and mentors. Others can provide perspectives you might not have considered and help you see the bigger picture.
  
  
• Before deciding, think about the potential short-term and long-term consequences. How will this decision impact your spiritual life, relationships, and responsibilities? Prudence requires looking beyond immediate gratification that we tend to look for today.

By seeking wisdom, praying for guidance, reflecting on past experiences, consulting with others, considering consequences, developing self-control, taking time to deliberate, and acting with resolve, we can all cultivate the virtue of prudence in our lives. In doing so, we not only enrich our own lives but also become a source of wisdom stability for those around us. Prudence may be an ancient virtue, but its relevance and importance remain timeless. I hope my experiences inspire you to cultivate this virtue in your own life.