Feelings and Shiny Things

A friend of mine has a tradition on the first birthday of her children. Three items — a coin, a shot glass, and a rosary — are placed in front of the one-year-old, and whatever object he grasps supposedly bears insight into his future. A coin promises wealth, the rosary indicates holiness, and the shot glass…well, I’m sure you can guess.

Of course, the kid just grabs whatever looks coolest. They’re not really choosing money or God or a party. Their choice is ruled by impulse.

These days, “I’m not feeling it,” is a genuine excuse to avoid something. “I feel that,” we say to indicate agreement. “I feel like…” is an acceptable way to offer our opinion. Feelings carry a lot of weight.

Before Christ, there was only the law, and the law dealt primarily with actions. Do this. Do not do this. All well and good. But with the fulfillment of the law, Christ wants us to look inwardly. He wants us to consider the influence of our feelings on our actions, and to understand how our chosen actions can, in turn, inspire certain feelings.

I’m a millennial, so, depending on your age, you may think that I feel either too much or too little. One thing I have learned, though, is that when I give my feelings free rein, my instincts immediately turn into actions. I become the toddler grasping at shiny objects with no thought for what they represent. Anger becomes unkindness. Jealousy becomes cruelty. Fear becomes selfishness.

Free will, I have come to understand, means freedom from the tyranny of feelings. If a feeling is strong enough, it can build a prison.

“If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” — Matthew 5:30

©LPi