their object. In Baptism these virtues are infused into the soul
together with sanctifying grace. Through sanctifying grace, received in
Baptism, we are made children of God. From that moment there is imposed
upon us the duty, as soon as we shall be able to use our reason, of
thinking, speaking and acting as behooves the true children of God.
This duty we perform if we imitate the example of Jesus Christ, and if
we endeavor to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. But as
this cannot be done by human power, the Holy Ghost has willed to enable
us to do so, by imparting to us, in Baptism, the three divine virtues.
By the infused grace of faith God gives us a supernatural light, in
addition to the natural light of our reason, with the aid of which we
may comprehend His revelations. God bestows upon us thus, through the
virtue of faith, a share in His own wisdom. The supernatural grace of
hope turns our thought heavenward, gives us an incentive to co-operate
with grace.

The supernatural virtue of charity renders us capable of loving God in
a worthy and meritorious manner and of loving that which God loves.

As the child arrives at the age of discretion, and obtains the right
use of reason, he is obliged to practise these virtues, and thus I
strengthen his soul and grow in grace.

We are obliged to awaken frequently faith, hope, and charity towards
God and our neighbor, in a practical manner. By the possession,
practise and application of these three divine virtues we attain to
Christian perfection. The more we learn to know these virtues, the more
zealous we shall be in practising them, the more earnestly we shall
strive for their increase, the more incessantly shall we pray for them.