Magnanimity

Magnanimity is the quality of setting oneself great goals.

With this virtue several benefits are achieved:

• Since the ideal is great, one can do good for many people. And this alone is a wonderful advantage.
• The duties toward God are fulfilled, who grants his gifts so that they be developed.
• The Lord is pleased, who rejoices in the success of his children. And this is a magnificent idea to launch oneself.
• Magnanimity strengthens the other qualities: Whoever possesses a great spirit, capable of undertaking worthwhile enterprises, will easily overcome the lesser obstacles of life. Consequently, this virtue fortifies the spirit for any ideal, great or small.
• It is better to do good than evil. It is better to do a great good than a small one.
• Magnanimity improves one's own dignity and honor; which are also something good.

Honor and fame are the social reward of virtue, and it is good that a society applauds those who behave correctly, because in this way good is promoted. One must not fear doing good but doing evil. It is fitting to promote the greatest goods and avoid the greatest evils.

It may happen that someone becomes proud of their good actions, but in this case the bad thing would be the pride, not the actions nor the good fame achieved.

It is a more common matter than it seems, and there are several examples:

• Having children. Some married couples are content with one or two children, and it is often said that they do so in order to have more money, gadgets, and comforts. That may be. But sometimes it is simply due to lack of drive, a shrunken spirit. Bringing up a large family is a great mission, and deciding to do so demands the exercise of magnanimity.
• Getting married (forever). Giving one's own life to a person with whom one commits to living and loving from then on. It is an important decision that demands a great spirit. The weak do not want firm commitments and only unite for a time.
• Another similar example of magnanimity is dedicating one's whole life to God, accepting the gentle challenge of a vocation.

The direct method is to launch oneself into great projects, exercising this quality. And if I go too far by setting ideals that are beyond me? Well, nothing happens. One starts again with another goal and forward. Attempting elevated ends is not harmful. Worse is to remain fearful in a corner.

Here we encounter a new difficulty. Other virtues can first be practiced in achievable details, then passing on to greater tasks. On the other hand, this virtue is practiced by launching oneself into great enterprises, so small goals are not an exercise of magnanimity, and it seems there is no easy training in this quality. Nevertheless, a lesser goal can be great for a shrunken spirit, and in this case it would be progress in magnanimity.

Both virtues reinforce each other. The elevated spirit proper to magnanimity includes the necessary confidence in carrying out those great things one proposes: magnanimity strengthens hope. In turn, hope is a prerequisite for magnanimity to act: One may desire the accomplishment of great things, but does not attempt it if hope fails. A detail: Hope is also needed for attempting small goals; while in this case magnanimity does not intervene.