Piety

In spiritual terminology, piety is a virtue which may include religious devotion, spirituality, or a mixture of both. A common element in most conceptions of piety is humility. In spiritual terminology, piety is a virtue which may include religious devotion, spirituality, or a mixture of both. A common element in most conceptions of piety is humility. The word piety comes from the Latin word pietas, the noun form of the adjective pius (which means 'devout' or 'dutiful'). Pietas in traditional Latin usage expressed a complex, highly valued Roman virtue; a man with pietas respected his responsibilities to gods, country, parents, and kin. In its strictest sense it was the sort of love a son ought to have for his father. Aeneas's consistent epithet in Virgil and other Latin authors is pius, a term which connotes reverence toward the gods and familial dutifulness. At the fall of Troy, Aeneas carries to safety his father, the lame Anchises, and the Lares and Penates, the statues of the household gods. In addressing whether children have an obligation to provide support for their parents, Aquinas quotes, Cicero, '...'piety gives both duty and homage': 'duty' referring to service, and 'homage' to reverence or honor.' Filial piety is central to Confucian ethics. In Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism, piety is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. 'It engenders in the soul a filial respect for God, a generous love toward him, and an affectionate obedience that wants to do what he commands because it loves the one who commands.' Piety belongs to the virtue of Religion, which the concordant judgment of theologians put among the moral virtues, as a part of the cardinal virtue Justice, since by it one tenders to God what is due to him. Pope Francis described piety as recognizing “our belonging to God, our deep bond with him, a relationship that gives meaning to our whole life and keeps us resolute, in communion with him, even during the most difficult and troubled moments” in life. Heavenly intercourse is to live a life in communion with ourselves and god in our daily lives. To live a life of piety is to live it with a conscious grace, a grace to be shared with others. Inwardly renewed by the humility of true penitence and reconciliation, where errors, shortcomings, misjudgement, transgressions are turned to an inward voice. Discernment is the bountiful benefits arising in seeking out and asking why. We are serving, with devotion and belief in divinity of god that is yet to be remembered or lived is made conscious and given voice. Our judgement isn't centered on outdoing someone else, placing trust or yielding in deference, like in anyone's judgement of another. Inward renewal brings us closer to equanimity, compassion, charity and humbleness, fellowship is to place higher appreciation and care in diligence in serving a authority that is neither an self-abasement, nor severe. The word of god is obeyed because we honor himself, that provides us with lasting joy. 'Everything you do or say, then should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus as you give thanks through him to God the Father.' (Colossians 3:17 GNT). Disciplined life is part of honoring himself, the right motivation makes the difference between spirituality as a fellowship and outwards acts of piety as idolatry. The Mass, or Divine liturgy, the Mass of the Eastern Orthodox Eucharist of the Byzantine rite, was a liturgy of good pious acts endowing the laity and faithful. 'My preaching was not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power' (1 Cor 2.4, emphasis added), furthermore believers must seek “the wisdom that comes from heaven” (James 3:17). Every determined action should be decided with the intention that the public where to write the history books and relate those actions to the public's discrimination and respect. Every offering given freely as a message to all the earthly messengers that they relate to the Lord and every message be given to those who won't relate it to God. Honor that has vested powers in any process must be first presided over before it is a legitimate exercised power and must have a place to put its use which is blessed by the most respected members of a congregation.