In the pursuit of spiritual growth, it quickly becomes clear that to become holy, one must increase in virtue. Yet this can feel vague and unattainable—we keep seeing our weaknesses rise to the surface, and we struggle to sustain virtue amid the normal frustrations of daily life. But God does not require what we cannot attain. Obedience to Our Lord’s command to “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” comes down to our faithfulness to specific acts of intention, infused with God’s grace, that bring about real and lasting change.
This article focuses on the specific daily practices the saints have given us for growing in virtue over time: how grace and prayer work together, the practices of recollection and aspiration, devotion to Jesus through Mary, purity of intention, the daily examen, and a structured plan of life. Each is a practical step you can begin today.
In this article:
- Why grace is the foundation of all growth in virtue
- How recollection and prayerful aspirations keep you united to God all day
- The role of Marian devotion in accelerating sanctity
- Purity of intention: transforming ordinary acts into virtue
- Using the daily examen and a plan of life to make steady progress
How Grace and Prayer Build Virtue
Grace is the cornerstone of the Catholic life. It is a gift freely given by God, enabling us to respond to His divine call and live according to His will. It makes possible what would be impossible for us alone, elevating us into the life of God’s supernatural love. Without grace, we lack the foundation to grow in virtue at all.
Christ made clear that our lives would be a struggle. We are engaged in a cosmic battle against our sinful tendencies and the powers that seek to separate us from God. (For a closer look at what stands in the way, see our guide to the obstacles in the pursuit of virtue.) While we must persevere in this battle, it is ultimately through God’s grace that we are endowed with the virtues that bring us to union with Him.
Prayer opens us to this grace. Along with the Sacraments, it is the conduit through which God pours His transforming power into us. The Church teaches that prayer is indispensable because it renders to God what is due Him, expresses our gratitude, and acknowledges our need through the knocking, seeking, and asking that draws His grace into our lives and into the world. Indeed, every follower of Jesus is commanded to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
We need God’s grace every moment to live virtuously against the temptations of the evil one, who “prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.”
Satan does not want us to grow in virtue, for as we do, his power is diminished in our lives and on the earth.
There are many ways to pray, both vocal and mental. The Church gives us countless formal vocal prayers through Scripture, the Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, and the Fathers, Doctors, and saints. Mental prayer is more personal—usually silent, meditating on one of God’s truths or speaking to Him from the heart. It can be harder to practice because it requires setting aside uninterrupted, quiet time, but the saints confirm it yields abundant fruit and is indispensable to the spiritual life.
Developing a morning and evening prayer routine is necessary for consistent growth. But it is also vital to nurture the life of God within us throughout the day. St. Paul exhorts us to pray without ceasing, and the saints have given us two powerful tools to live this out: the practice of recollection and prayerful aspirations.
Recollection and Prayerful Aspirations
Saint Alphonsus Liguori taught that remaining in constant communication with God maintains us in a state of grace that transforms our souls. Recollection and prayerful aspirations work hand in hand to achieve this continual connection.
Recollection is the practice of remaining mindful that we are always in God’s presence, always seen by Him. This humble awareness naturally gives rise to aspirations—short prayers whispered throughout the day, such as “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.” The two reinforce one another: recollection prompts the aspiration, and the aspiration renews our recollection.
Many saints have testified to the power of this practice in keeping them from sin. The Psalms repeat the truth that the one who keeps the watchful eye of God before him is blessed with protection from the evil one and does not succumb to temptation. By keeping God always in mind, we align our actions with His will, advancing in virtue and deepening our union with Him.
This daily effort to remain united with God is greatly strengthened by invoking Mary’s intercession. In The Secret of Mary, St. Louis-Marie de Montfort reminds us that turning to Mary frequently keeps the soul anchored in grace amid life’s distractions—and that through her Immaculate Heart we find the surest path to the Heart of Jesus.
To go deeper on living in continual prayer, see our guide to holiness and constant prayer.
Growing in Virtue Through Marian Devotion
At the heart of personal sanctity is a profound devotion to Jesus through Mary. Because of Mary’s complete surrender to God’s will in her fiat, Jesus entered the world through union with her—joining Himself to her at the moment of His conception.
The saints speak of her unique power to help us:
“If Jesus is the King of the whole world, Mary is also Queen of the whole world; therefore, all creatures who serve God ought also to serve Mary.” — St. Bernardine of Siena
“God wills that we should receive nothing that does not come through the hand of Mary.” — St. Bernard
As Queen Mother, Mary has the privilege of obtaining from the Holy Trinity all that she desires—and she desires nothing more than for her children to grow in holiness. A deep devotion to Mary is therefore essential to growth in virtue. Keeping her feast days, praying the Rosary, and meditating on her virtues align us with her Heart.
We can go further still by choosing to consecrate ourselves to Jesus through Mary—a total surrender to God’s will and entrustment of all we are to Mary’s maternal care. As St. Maximilian Kolbe wrote:
“The more you belong to Mary, the greater will be the work of sanctification which she accomplishes in you.”
This grace reframes our daily challenges as opportunities to align ourselves more closely with Jesus and Mary, so that every part of our life becomes permeated with the grace necessary for holiness.
Want to make this commitment? Our guide to Marian consecration walks through the practice step by step.
Purity of Intention: Transforming Daily Acts into Virtue
Virtuous actions require more than the act itself; they demand fervor and purity of intention to be meritorious. Fervor is the flame of love within the heart, nurtured through daily prayer and sacrifice. Purity of intention purges our actions of self-love and makes them pleasing to God. Our daily duties, however mundane, become acts of worship when performed with love and a conscious intention to glorify God.
“Not all of us can do great things; but we can do small things with great love.” — St. Teresa of Calcutta
St. Paul echoes this: “…whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).
It is in the daily deeds of a Christian, performed with fervor and purity of intention, that we give glory to God. The faithful acceptance of the small crosses of our daily routine is the greatest sign of growth in virtue—a little reflection of Our Lady’s fiat, presenting itself a thousand times a day as a chance to say “yes” to Our Lord.
Learn how to sanctify your ordinary work in our guide to perfection and ordinary actions.
The Daily Examen: Measuring Your Progress
Maintaining fervor and purity of intention does not come easily—there is always the battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. The particular examination of conscience, given to us by St. Ignatius of Loyola, helps identify areas of spiritual laxity and rekindle the fervor needed to pursue virtue. It lets us confront our vices with a systematic plan to honestly assess and intentionally subdue them.
In brief, the particular examen focuses on one fault to overcome or one virtue to grow, reviewed at three points in the day:
- Morning — Choose the single fault or virtue to work on, and ask God’s grace to meet the temptations the day will bring. Begin with a vice you genuinely struggle with—just one, so as not to become overwhelmed.
- Midday — Note any failures or victories, give thanks or renew your resolve, and pray an aspiration for grace through the afternoon.
- Evening — Review the day’s progress, give thanks for grace received, and resolve where to focus tomorrow.
The key is to keep these resolutions steeped in prayer, asking Our Lady, your guardian angel, and the saints for help. We do not overcome vice by willpower alone:
We must have God’s grace to be victorious.
The examen is one of the most powerful tools the saints have handed down, and it deserves more than this summary. For the full Ignatian method—including the difference between the General and Particular examen and a step-by-step guide to each—see our complete guide:
→ How to Grow Through the Examination of Conscience
(Preparing for Confession specifically? Use our Catholic Examination of Conscience for Adults.)
Building a Daily Plan of Life
An intentional Catholic life includes a structured plan—a framework within which spiritual growth can happen. Order and virtue are nearly synonymous: God dwells in order and peace, while the evil one dwells in chaos. By structuring our days around prayer, work, recreation, and rest, we echo the monastic tradition of ora et labora (“prayer and work”) and allow for consistent progress.
A simple daily order might look like this:
- Rise promptly. Wake at a set time, make your morning offering with thanksgiving, and name the fault or virtue you’ll work on that day. This gives your first thoughts to God. “The Devil once declared that if he could have the first moment of the day, he was sure of all the rest.” — St. John Vianney
- Set fixed times for prayer. Formal prayers morning and evening at minimum, and perhaps the Angelus at midday—a centuries-old tradition that keeps the plan of salvation before us.
- Make time for spiritual reading. Studying the spiritual life deepens your understanding of holiness and provides a compass for the journey.
- Pray 15 minutes of mental prayer. Meditate on a truth from your reading. This is the taproot of the spiritual life—the saints tell us the devil knows he has lost the soul who practices it.
- Include the Mass or the Blessed Sacrament when possible. Even an extra weekday Mass or a weekly Holy Hour deepens your union with Christ.
- End with the examen and a set bedtime. Review the day, note what to confess, and plan tomorrow’s focus. Plan to go to Confession every two weeks, or at least monthly.
Family practices add further structure—reading Scripture together, praying before and after meals, and the family Rosary.
Ready to build your own? Our guide to making a plan of life walks through it in detail.
The Rosary: A Path to Virtue and Holiness
The Holy Rosary is not only a prayer but a doorway to a whole pattern of virtuous life. Because it revolves around contemplating the lives of Jesus and Mary, it integrates our desire for holiness with the rhythm of prayerful reflection on their virtues, guiding us along the path of obedience, humility, and love.
By meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary, we immerse ourselves in the holy lives of Jesus and Mary. Each Hail Mary becomes an aspiration for grace; each decade, a chapter in the story of a virtuous life. The Rosary also offers a way to practice the recollection and aspiration so necessary for keeping God’s presence before us.
Two of Our Lady’s fifteen promises attached to the Rosary speak directly to those seeking to grow in virtue:
- Promise 3: The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell. It will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
- Promise 4: The recitation of the Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish… and will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world.
The Rosary thus stands as both a bulwark against vice and a ladder to virtue—a profound gift offering a wellspring of grace to all who pray it with devotion.
Gain the Prize
The life of virtue never happens by accident. The world, the flesh, and the devil see to it that we are buffeted on every side when we desire to live as faithful Catholics. But with God’s grace, holiness is attainable. By following these practices handed down by the saints—grace-filled prayer, recollection and aspiration, devotion to Jesus through Mary, purity of intention, the daily examen, and a structured plan of life—we can achieve real growth in virtue.
Let us waste no time, but take up our crosses with charity and run swiftly toward holiness, that we may gain the prize of eternal life:
“Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Continue Your Journey
- The Life of Virtue: How Grace Heals Our Wounded Nature — the theology of what virtue is and how grace restores us
- The Obstacles in the Pursuit of Virtue — the lukewarmness, predominant fault, and hidden faults that block growth
- How to Grow Through the Examination of Conscience — the full Ignatian method, General and Particular
- Intentional Catholic Living: Making a Plan of Life — build your own daily rule of life
- Holiness and Constant Prayer — living St. Paul’s call to pray without ceasing
- Understanding Marian Devotion — growing in sanctity through Our Lady
