Which statement best describes the relationship between virtue and grace?

• A. Virtue exists independently of grace.
• B. Virtue grows best when both personal effort and God's grace work together.
• C. Virtue is solely a gift and requires no effort.
• D. Virtue is determined by external circumstances.

Answer: (B)

Virtue grows when our own effort and God's grace work together. Virtue is a habit of choosing what is good, formed by repeated, free decisions. Grace is God’s help that makes real the good we strive for, strengthening us and enabling us to do what we could not do on our own. The best description is that we cooperate with grace: we practice virtuous acts, build good habits, and open ourselves to God’s guidance so that the virtues deepen and take root. In daily life this means praying, seeking what is right, and acting rightly, knowing that grace strengthens our resolve and helps our growth endure. If we relied only on effort, growth would be limited to willpower; if we relied only on grace without our cooperation, virtues would not be formed in our choices. The healthy relationship is the synergy of effort and grace producing genuine virtue.