Saturday, November 10, 2012

The Pedagogy of Desire: Cultivate Effective Antibodies Against the Prevalent Present-day Banalization


In his continued catechesis on the Creed "I Believe" the Holy Father spoke this past Wednesday of the innate desire for God in every man.  He says that even in our own day we can direct our passions in the pursuit of what is good and true (and form the young in this) as a sure way to freedom and authentic joy and lasting peace.  He calls this the way of desire: to nurture, direct and expand human desires to be able to recognize and to choose what is perfect.  We need to cultivate a "taste" for the authentic joy of life in order to like what is truly good.

It reminds me of a quote by Saint Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer who said that the most supernatural motive for an apostolic undertaking is "porque me da la gana" -- because I feel like it!  That happens when your feelings have been so molded in harmony with what is true and good, in accord with the will of God and the nature of man.