Thirteenth century philosopher and doctor of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas, argues that the passions are morally neutral. It is the manner in which a person responds to a particular passion that determines the morality of the passion and not the passion itself. This is a line-line for those suffering the emotional impact of abuse, exploitation, or grievous betrayal.
In the coming months, we will explore the principle passions through the lens of Divine Mercy. (God’s unfailing love smack in the middle of the raw emotions Christ followers have a tendency to deem wretched.) As an abuse survivor, I celebrate the knowledge that the passions have their primary root in Love. God created man to have them; by design they will not go unfulfilled. Life and death, however, hinges on their expression. I know this to be true; most of which I learned the hard way. And Jesus still loves me.
We’ll begin with the principle passion of hate.
Hate Perfected
Love Defined
Good Grief
Coming soon.
What are the passions?
“The passions are the feelings, the emotions or the movement of the sensible appetite—natural components of human psychology—which incline a person to act or not act in view of what is perceived as good or evil. The principle passions are love and hatred, desire and fear, joy, sadness, and anger.
The passions insofar as they are movements of the sensible appetite, are neither good nor bad in themselves. They are good when they contribute to a good action and they are evil in the opposite case. They can be taken up into the virtues or perverted by the vices.”
Cite ref. (Compenduim CCC, 370; 371. What are the passions?)
Coming soon.