Br. Bertrand Hebert, O.P., on Practicing Virtue in the Present

"The devil may have fallen, but he is still very clever. This fact is to his detriment and ours. While his trickery firmly grounds himself in his obstinance, he also attempts to drag us down with him. C.S. Lewis wrote an ingenious depiction of this diabolical intelligence in The Screwtape Letters. This novel consists of letters written by Screwtape, a higher-up in the demonic ranks of hell, wherein he gives advice to his nephew, a tempter in training named Wormwood. In this unique work of fiction, the reader receives a somewhat frightening perspective on the enemy's temptations. But Lewis's point is not primarily to frighten. Rather, Screwtape's career is the source of keen insight regarding virtue. In Lewis's story, the cunning of demons becomes an aid to our self-knowledge."

In a recent commentary, Brother Bertrand Hebert, O.P., reflected on how the present is the "point at which time touches eternity" and on the importance of recognizing opportunities to practice virtue in a real and immediate way.

To access Br. Bertrand's complete post, please visit:

Dominicana: Imaginary Virtues & Fear of the Future (4 JAN 21)