“Universal Justice: Following the Law and Doing What’s Right A just person follows the law. They do this not just to obey but because laws bring order. This order helps people live together in peace. Good laws help shape citizens. They encourage virtues such as courage, honesty, and kindness.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 75

“The Importance of Balance in Social Life Friendliness, truthfulness, and humor are vital traits in how we connect with others. • Friendliness is about being kind but not fake. • Truthfulness is about being honest but not boastful. • A good sense of humor makes life fun, but it should never be used to hurt others. In all social situations, the best person is the one who finds the right balance - not too much and not too little of each virtue.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 75

“A well-balanced person: • Knows how to joke in a way that is fun but respectful. • Enjoys humor without being offensive. • Understands the right time and place for making jokes.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 74

“A good-tempered person: • Gets angry at the right time, for the right reasons, and at the right people. • Controls their anger rather than letting it take over. • Is not vengeful and usually forgives others. People who never get angry, even when something is clearly wrong, may seem weak or afraid. If someone never stands up for themselves or their friends, others might not respect them.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 72

“People admire ambitious people for their boldness and drive for greatness. They also value unambitious people for their humility. Because of this, ambition can seem good or bad, depending on the situation. The problem is that the virtue between ambition and lack of ambition doesn’t have a clear name. That’s why people sometimes argue whether ambition is good or bad. But like all virtues, there must be a middle ground—a balanced way to pursue honor. A person with the right amount of ambition doesn’t crave honor too much but also doesn’t ignore it when they deserve it. This balance may seem slightly ambitious or slightly unambitious at times, but it is the right way to live.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 71-72

“What Is Pride? Pride is the virtue of recognizing one’s true worth and claiming what is rightfully deserved—neither more nor less. A truly proud person believes they deserve great things, and they actually do. A vain person asks for more than they deserve. A humble person, on the other hand, deserves greatness but won’t acknowledge it. The proud person stands between these two extremes. They aim high but stay balanced, accepting only the honor that matches their true worth.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 69-70

“In the end, magnificence is about spending money in a way that leaves a lasting, positive impact.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindled Edition, pg. 69

“A magnificent person spends like an artist. They use their wealth to create something truly meaningful and lasting. A magnificent person spends wisely. They make sure their money goes toward a noble goal. The result should be impressive, matching or exceeding the amount spent. Their goal isn’t to save money or be the cheapest—it’s to create something truly amazing.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 67

“The Difference Between Magnificence, Generosity, and Wastefulness A magnificent person is always generous, but not all generous people are magnificent. Generosity means giving with care. Magnificence, on the other hand, is about spending in a grand way that inspires awe. A generous person might give money to a local school. This helps buy supplies so students have what they need. This is admirable, but it is not magnificent. A magnificent person, however, might fund a new school building. It would have an inspiring design and a lasting impact. Their spending is not just helpful—it is extraordinary and fitting for their means.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 66-67

“What Is Magnificence? Magnificence is a virtue of grand and meaningful spending. Generosity is for everyday gifts. Magnificence is all about investing in important things in a big way. This includes public works and grand celebrations. A magnificent person spends money in a way that is grand and fitting for the occasion. What counts as "grand" depends on the situation: Paying for a warship is much more expensive than organizing a festival, but both can be magnificent if done properly. What matters is not just how much is spent, but how wisely and beautifully it is spent. Someone who spends wisely on small things isn’t called magnificent—that word is for people who spend well on big things.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 66-67

“Why Greed is Worse Greed is far harder to correct than wastefulness. Unlike wastefulness, which often fades with age or hardship, greed tends to grow stronger over time. As people age, they often cling to their wealth. This makes it harder for them to be generous. Furthermore, greed is far more common than wastefulness, making it a more widespread vice. There are two types of greedy people: 1 Stingy hoarders – They don’t try to take from others but refuse to share what they have. They fear losing money, so they hoard it. 2 Money-grabbers – They take whatever they can, even from bad sources. This includes gamblers, con artists, and those who inflate prices. They care more about money than their reputation.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 64-65

“Wastefulness vs. Greed Generosity is the middle ground between wastefulness and greed: • Wasteful people give too much and take too little. • Greedy people take too much and give too little.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 64

“A truly generous person: • Gives to the right people, in the right amount, at the right time. • Gives happily, not with regret. • Doesn’t just give everything away carelessly. • Doesn’t take money from bad sources. A generous person handles their money well. This way, they can keep helping others. They do not hoard wealth out of fear, nor do they recklessly give everything away. Instead, they earn fairly so they always have the means to give. Generosity isn’t about giving huge amounts—it’s about giving based on what you have. Someone with little money who still gives is more generous than a rich person who gives a lot but barely notices the loss. Because generous people prefer giving over saving, they often don’t become very rich. Some people think it's unfair that those who deserve wealth the most often get the least. This happens because they don't focus on keeping money. Still, generosity requires balance. Giving too much or to the wrong people is wasteful. A generous person spends wisely so they can help those who truly need it.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 62-64

“Yes—pleasure can cause pain! A self-indulgent person suffers when they don’t get their cravings. A temperate person: • Avoids bad pleasures. • Enjoys good pleasures in the right amount. • Doesn’t feel pain when they don’t get unnecessary pleasures. A temperate person enjoys only what is healthy and right, without going too far.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 60

“So temperance is about controlling bodily pleasures, but not all of them. • Enjoying beautiful sights (like paintings or colors) isn’t seen as self-indulgent. • Enjoying pleasant scents, such as flowers or incense, isn’t the same. It only counts if it’s linked to cravings. For example, you might love the smell of food because it makes you hungry.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 58

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Gospel reading for today: “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.’ “ -Luke 6:27-38

The first reading in today’s Catholic Liturgy is timely and appropriate: “Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one Body.” -1 Colossians 3:12-15

“What Is Temperance? With courage, we learn to manage fear. But what about pleasure? That’s where temperance comes in. These two virtues help us control our impulses. One fights fear, while the other resists indulgence. Courage helps us face fear in the right way. Temperance helps us control pleasure in the right way.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 56-57

“A truly good and happy person actually values life more than others, so losing it is even more painful for them. But they still choose to fight for what is right, even if it costs them everything. Interestingly, the best soldiers aren’t always the bravest. Some people risk their lives because they have nothing to lose. A truly brave person understands the value of life but still chooses to act with honor.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 57