May 18, 2026

The Virtue Missing from Stoicism That Can Transform Your Spiritual Life

48 minutes

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction: Stoicism and its fascination

02:07 - Origins of Stoicism and influential figures

04:32 - Stoicism’s relationship with Christian and Jewish history

05:02 - Common misconceptions about Stoicism being emotionless

06:28 - The founder Zeno and the philosophy’s Greek roots

07:56 - Differences between Stoicism and Epicureanism

09:22 - Key Stoic quotation: "Power over your mind"

10:50 - CS Lewis’s "Men Without Chest" and emotional integration

12:20 - Personal stories of courage, fear, and duty in battle

15:39 - The four virtues of Stoicism: wisdom, justice, courage, temperance

17:35 - How these virtues align with Catholic virtues and Holy Spirit gifts

18:00 - The intersection and differences between Stoicism and Christianity

21:50 - The false pursuit of self-reliance and emotional control

22:49 - CS Lewis’s metaphor: "Stoics pay for their cake and don't eat it"

23:18 - Christian alternative: "Holy indifference" and surrender

24:20 - Saint Paul’s example of suffering and growth in Christ

25:46 - The virtue of hope as essential in Christian life

27:52 - Practical virtues: justice, courage, wisdom, self-control

30:20 - Discerning the right, choosing the right, and mastering emotions

33:22 - The importance of hope’s role in spiritual resilience

34:52 - Infinite vs. discrete events: Stoicism’s perspective

36:18 - Jocko Willink’s "Good" mindset for adversity

38:39 - Applying these principles in marital struggles and suffering

40:51 - The transformative power of Christ compared to Stoic self-discipline

41:09 - The missing virtue in Stoicism: hope

42:28 - The role of grace, forgiveness, and redemption in Christian life

43:55 - Practical takeaways: tools for growth, surrender over control, prayer reflections

Key topics

Origins and misconceptions of Stoicism

Core virtues: wisdom, justice, courage, temperance

Stoic self-reliance vs. Catholic grace and hope

Stoicism as a tool for spiritual growth

Importance of hope in Christian life

Managing emotions with a Christian perspective

"Holy indifference" and surrender to God's will

Personal stories and biblical reflections

The Monk and The Meathead is a production of Mary Queen of Peace Parish is Webster Groves, Missouri.

The Meathead: Jimmy Vreeland—West Point grad, Army veteran, real estate entrepreneur, and a man who pushes limits in business and life… now striving to push deeper into his faith.

The Monk: Fr. Craig Holway—Roman Catholic priest, teacher, and spiritual coach, guiding men to embrace authentic Christian masculinity with strength, truth, and purpose.

If you’ve got a question or a topic you want us to tackle, send it our way at [email protected]. And if you’re in the St. Louis area, come visit us at Mary Queen of Peace Parish in Webster Groves.

Check out Mary Queen of Peace at www.mqpwg.org

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By Father Craig Holway

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