Reflection 265- The Danger and Blessing of Passions

Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy

God created us with passions. These can be either great blessings in our Christian walk or they can become great snares. It all depends on what controls each passion. Passions of anger, for example, can either be used for good or ill. When anger takes over and the source of this anger is a wound or lack of mercy toward another, then we become bound by this sin. But holy anger is a gift from God in that the Lord may inspire us to be “fierce” in one act or another. A parent protecting an innocent child from danger or the direct confrontation with evil may require a certain holy anger as a supporting force. Sexual passions are the same way. When they are used for marital union in accord with God’s design, they are holy. When they are the source of adultery, self-gratification, or any other form of lust, they do us great damage. Seek to be free from unruly passions and allow the Mercy of God to so consume them that these natural gifts are given over to the service of love and the Will of God (See Diary #1331).
Are your passions under the control of the powerful Mercy of God or do your passions control you? This is an important question to honestly answer. Passions, when they become strong and untamed, can be hard to control. But when properly surrendered to God, they become a great motivating source of love. Reflect honestly upon your struggle with your passions. Know that God wants to turn them into a great blessing and a source of much mercy in your life. Turn them over to Him, over and over, through prayer, fasting and Confession and the Lord will bring order and stability to these natural gifts.

Lord, I offer You my heart, my soul, my body, my mind and my passions. Please bring order and stability to me in every way and use me as an instrument of Your holy and passionate Love. Jesus, I trust in You.
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Featured image above: Christ Cleansing the Temple by Bernardino Mei, via The J. Paul Getty Museum[