Rev José Mario O Mandía
jmom.honlam.org
The cardinal virtues are essential for a holy life, but they do not suffice. We also need the supernatural virtues of faith, hope and charity, which we have already discussed in BST 27.
Moreover, the Holy Spirit gives us further assistance through His seven gifts and His fruits (cf. BST 75 & 76).
How about our emotions? Let us remember what they are and what role they play (cf. Bite-Size Philosophy 44).
All living things have a way of receiving stimuli and eliciting a response. For animals, it is the senses that receive the stimuli and the emotions (also called “sentiments” or “feelings” or “passions”) that determine the response. Once the stimuli is received, the emotions automatically act according to the stimuli.
The CCC (No. 1763) says: “The term ‘passions’ belongs to the Christian patrimony. Feelings or passions are emotions or movements of the sensitive appetite that incline us to act or not to act in regard to something felt or imagined to be good or evil.”
Man also possesses senses that receive stimuli, and he also reacts emotionally to those stimuli. Moreover, man has an intellect and a will. The intellect takes up what the senses receive. This makes it possible for man not only to see, hear, feel, taste, touch, or imagine, but also to understand the input from the senses. With our intellect or mind, we can evaluate or assess whether something is good for us. According to the assessment made by the intellect, the will decides freely on whether or not to act, or on how to act. In other words, unlike in animals, man’s response is not predetermined or automatic. Acts that are truly human are rational and free. This does not mean that the senses and passions are useless. Thus, the CCC (No. 1764) says: “The passions are natural components of the human psyche; they form the passageway and ensure the connection between the life of the senses and the life of the mind. Our Lord called man’s heart the source from which the passions spring [cf. Mark 7:21].”
But after original sin, man’s reason has been clouded and his will has been weakened to such an extent that, sometimes, man wittingly or unwittingly forgoes the use of reason and will, letting himself be led by mere perception or emotion. Our task is to form our mind so that we habitually reflect first on the inputs that come from what we see or hear, and train our will so that it always governs the sentiments and makes use of them in doing good.
Are passions good or bad? St Thomas writes: “We may consider the passions of the soul in two ways: first, in themselves; secondly, as being subject to the command of the reason and will. If then the passions be considered in themselves, to wit, as movements of the irrational appetite, thus there is no moral good or evil in them, since this depends on the reason, as stated above (I-II q18 a5). If, however, they be considered as subject to the command of the reason and will, then moral good and evil are in them” (St Thomas Aquinas, STh I-II q24 a1; cf. CCC No.1767).
The CCC (No. 1768) adds: “Passions are morally good when they contribute to a good action, evil in the opposite case. The upright will orders the movements of the senses it appropriates to the good and to beatitude; an evil will succumbs to disordered passions and exacerbates them. Emotions and feelings can be taken up into the virtues or perverted by the vices.”
Good use of the passions is exemplified by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. “In the Christian life, the Holy Spirit himself accomplishes his work by mobilizing the whole being, with all its sorrows, fears and sadness, as is visible in the Lord’s agony and passion. In Christ, human feelings are able to reach their consummation in charity and divine beatitude” (CCC No. 1769).
The CCC (No. 1770) adds: “Moral perfection consists in man’s being moved to the good not by his will alone, but also by his sensitive appetite, as in the words of the psalm: ‘My heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God’ (Psalm 84:2).”
(Image: Greyerbaby@pixabay.com)
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