Dear People                       Whom God Loves,

April 27, 2008

Dear People Whom God Loves,

CONCUPISCENCE

I am indebted for the basis of these thoughts to Fr. Karl Rahner, the German theologian.

Concupiscence has, in many minds, meant sexual desires.. .or at least some kind of bad sensuality. Since St. Augustine, it was largely thought of as a consequence of sin. It was bad bodily stuff opposing the spiritual part of us.

First we must remember that concupiscence is a natural part of being human. We are meant to become complete lovers. That fullness will never be attained in this life. We are meant, however, to grow toward it. There is much in us - both of body, emotion, and spirit - that makes this journey long, difficult, confusing, and full of ups and downs. When the integration of our whole being is complete, we will be complete lovers. We will seek only what is truly good for ourselves, all other people, and indeed all of creation.

What are those parts of us that we call concupiscence? There are the sensual parts. Our sexual desires are not always oriented to what is good. The same is true of our desires for food and drink and our desires for comfort and rest. These are not bad things. They are human. The problem is that we are easily drawn to not use them well.

Secondly, there are the emotional parts.. .our desires for closeness, romantic love, consolation, feeling good, lack of conflict, to name a few. These also are good. But there is the same problem as with the sensual parts: They can draw us to choose not to use them for good. ..that is, not in a truly loving way.

Thirdly, there are the spiritual parts: our ambition, our need to win, to be admired, to control things, to compare ourselves to others. ..our need to be thought of as religious or holy.. our need to think our gifts and talents make us better than others. ..our need to be in charge, to dominate. ..our need for respect and good reputation. These spiritual things are also good. But we, as with the sensual and emotional, are easily drawn into behavior that is not compassionate or loving. We don't always use them for what is truly good.

I believe that the spiritual concupiscence is more dangerous than the other two.

This can more easily help us to see why we often make bad choices...why we sometimes make bad choices and sometime good ones. What is most important is to have a fundamental choice to head in the direction of love. When we don't do this, our sin is deep. But we must be careful. I can see how people can come from such difficult backgrounds that there would not be the moral capacity to make such a fundamental choice. I leave it to God to sort that out. When we do make at least a reasonable fundamental choice for love, the bad choices we make along the way - though they are harmful - are more superficial sins. They are not deep sin.

Smile, God Loves You,

Father Clay

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