Emotions, grounded in faith, on display

December 17, 2006 -- Third Sunday of Advent

By Bishop Robert Morneau

	Bishop Robert Morneau
	Questions for reflection: 1. What role do emotions play in your life? 2. What is your predominant feeling? 3. Why do repressed feelings demand careful discernment?

The scriptural readings for this third Sunday of Advent are filled with all sorts of human feelings and emotions: joy and fear in Zephaniah; anxiety and peace in St. Paul; expectation and satisfaction in Luke's Gospel. Because God's word deals so directly with our human experience, it takes on a relevance that endures down the ages. But it is important to note that our Christian lives should not be based solely or even primarily on emotions and feelings. Rather, we are called to ground our lives in truth and to translate that truth into action, allowing feelings to have their proper, albeit secondary, role.

That having been said, let us never downplay the importance and power of our emotional life. C. S. Lewis writes: "Without the aid of trained emotions, the intellect is powerless against the animal organism." St. Paul knew this better than most. In writing to the Philippians, a letter that might be entitled, "An Epistle of Joy," he urges his fellow Christians to rejoice, to rejoice in the Lord. He goes on to say that the negative feeling of anxiety must be countered by the knowledge that the Lord is near. Then, while appreciating the gift of understanding and knowledge (the intellect), Paul maintains that God's peace far surpasses the limits of our mind. One would almost think that St. Paul had a doctorate in psychology.

A d v e n t
• Other Advent articles

John the Baptist was a prophet of powerful, dare we say volcanic, feelings. His life and ministry were passionate, on fire. We must "feel" the emotions in his advice: share what you have with others; stop collecting more than is right; do not practice distortion; and the list goes on. Add to this keen appreciation of realizing his secondary role in terms of the coming of the Messiah and we have here a passionate, honest, and humble disciple.

Shakespeare, in "Romeo and Juliet," proclaims: "Thou canst not speak of that thou dost not feel" (act III, sc. iii, l. 64). The writings of St. Paul and the proclamations of John the Baptist are filled with strong emotions that are grounded in truth and call for decisive action. John's words, charged with insight and feelings, filled the people with expectation and hope. St. Paul, although claiming a lack of eloquence, enkindled many a heart as he incites people to joy and to dismiss anxiety.

Then we have the prophet Zephaniah who, like St. Paul, encouraged the people of his day to shout for joy, sing for joy, be glad, fear not! The prophet was aware of the power of God and the nearness of salvation. Herein were the motives for joy and gladness. God longed to renew His people in His love and it was this love that elicited joy and banished fear. Again, the power of feelings and emotions plays a central role in God's revelation.

Fr. William Johnston speaks of what happens when feelings are repressed: ". . . they will break out in overeating, or in grasping for power or money, or in excessive severity towards ourselves and others. Indeed, we now know, repressed feelings may cleverly masquerade as virtues; we may think that we are very pious and holy people when, in fact, we are frustrated, angry, and deprived. Such is the beautiful, yet devastating role of feelings in human life" (cf. The Mirror Mind, 112).

On this third Sunday of Advent we are called to rejoice for the Lord is near. May our emotions be grounded in the truths of our faith and find expression in lives of dedicated discipleship.

(Bp. Morneau is the auxiliary bishop of the Green Bay Diocese and pastor of Resurrection Parish in Allouez.)