(Adapted from "Interior Castle", St. Teresa of Avila)

At conversion and baptism, we are regenerated and receive the grace of life in terms of faith, hope and love. These theological virtues are the center of our soul in the spiritual life process, the substance of being conformed to the image of Christ ( Rom. 8:29 ). Being adopted as children of the Father, we share in the nature of God within by these virtues. .

The gift of faith enables us to believe that God ‘is’, and enlarges the capacity to believe God’s word and His promises. Faith affirms what cannot be understood by the intellect ( Heb. 11:1 ).

The gift of hope provides the capacity to trust God that His promises will be fulfilled, that He is with me in trials and difficulties, and that eternal life is mine now and in heaven. Hope empties itself of all natural possessions in order to be possessed by the divine ( Rom. 8:23-25 ).

The gift of love is the capacity to love God above everything, and to respond to all of life’s encounters in goodness, patience, kindness and compassion ( Luke. 14:33 ; 1 Cor. 1:30 ).

The virtues or mansions of faith, hope and love are surrounded by four virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. These are the fitness centers, which are essential for spiritual growth:

Prudence is the source. Justice, fortitude and temperance are the properties. Prudence, the state of our being, is associated with our conscience, which is the voice of our spirit. Accordingly, our conscience is to be docile, sensitive, and capable to respond to the slightest promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Justice is to establish God’s will on earth, to care for the widow and orphan, to defend the defenseless, to secure and exercise honor, integrity and equity in the economic, political and social arenas of life. .

Fortitude is the development of the muscles of the will to remain faithful, to resist temptations, to endure trials, to overcome fear and anxiety, and to undergo challenges and persecution, to abide in love regardless.

Temperance is the tightrope on learning how to balance and control the skills in the use of passions, impulses, instincts, and, thus, to bring order and harmony to our desires and reasonings.

These four virtues enable us to move in consonance with God’s grace for the good of others ( 2 Pet. 1:3-10 ).

These are the properties of the above 4 virtues or mansions of which we can enter at any time. The mansions are filled with the Light of the Holy Spirit which speak to the inner recesses of our soul giving beauty, light, and wonder to our being. The more we enter the light, the more it increases and partakes of the radiance of the Holy Spirit, the divine nature, thus, escaping the corruption of the world ( Isa. 11:1-5 ).

The virtues or mansions, the inner values, are manifested by the fruit of the Spirit. . The sanctity of the Glory of God invades the soul and drives out darkness and sinfulness, and, thus, the soul is being filled with His grace in all mansions. The fruit of the Holy Spirit reflect this overflowing. . As these virtues are exercised, it gives glory to God, reveals love of and to God, and to all others. Thus, we become encircled by light, by wonder, being lost in waves of endless adoration in clouds of angels ( Gal. 5:22-26 ).

The following 4 anchor posts provide a method and the means to develop a firm and comprehensive foundation supporting a disciplined and structured lifestyle of godliness:

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