The passions of ignorance

THE expression is referred to in one of the passages in

the first letter of St. Peter. The complete passage says: “As obedient

children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance…”

(1,14)

              Of course, as human persons, we always have some passions.

These are strong emotions that drive us to action. They are a result

of a combination of things—genes, a sensation of an inner need that

seeks to be satisfied, etc.

  

            We just have to make sure that while our passions can have

their own constitution peculiar to each individual, they just cannot

be left at their biological level. Otherwise, our passions would be

akin to the passions of any animal that is by nature irrational,

following a logic that is completely shaped by instincts alone and

nothing beyond.

  

            Like anything else in human life, our passions also need

to be educated, grounded and oriented to what is truly proper to us.

They should not just be a product of our genes and hormones and the

other chemicals and elements that come into play. They have to be

under the ‘supervision’ of our reason and ultimately of our faith,

hope and charity.

  

            Thus, depending on how they are educated, they can either

be good passions or bad. Yes, we should try to be passionate in our

life, because that is what is ideal for us. But let’s make sure that

our passions are the good ones, those that are properly inspired and

directed, and that truly express our dignity as persons and ultimately

as children of God, image and likeness of his.

  

            The passions of ignorance refer to those that do not

spring from our knowing and loving relation with God. They are more

like the passions of the animals, except that they are fueled not only

by instincts, which are what fuel animal passions, but also by the

powers of our intelligence and will that go beyond what our instincts

can dictate. And these powers of our intelligence and will are not

inspired by faith, hope and charity.

   

            To avoid falling into this kind of passions, we have to

see to it that we inspire them with the spirit of God, which is one of

love, compassion and everything else that God has shown us through

Christ in the Holy Spirit.

  

            In other words, our passions should not just be purely

human passions which, as described in many instances in the Bible, are

“lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the

mind.” (Eph 2,3)

              Again in that first letter of St. Peter, we are told about

what these passions of ignorance were: “For you have spent enough time

in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in

debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable

idolatry…” (4.3)

  

            Our passions should be divinized. They should aim at

nothing less than holiness, just like what St. Peter again said in his

first letter: “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in

all you do, for it is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” (1,15)

  

            We really need to check if the passions we have are the

right ones. At the moment, it can be clearly seen that most of the

passions many people show nowadays are spent on self-seeking and

self-absorption. They are not oriented toward God, toward

sanctification.

  

            There is also that wrong belief that being passionate

about God will compromise our humanity. Hardly anything can be farther

from the truth. Being with God, in fact, perfects and completes our

humanity. Without God, our Creator and heaven, we are nothing, or at

best, we would turn out to be like any animal in human form. Yes, we

would look and behave like humans, but we really are not if we are not

with God!