REFLECTION BY MEMBER MARCH 28, 2025

“Emotions and feelings can be taken up in the virtues or perverted by the vices.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Para. 1774) 

Do you remember the Pixar animated movie, "Inside Out" part I and II. It portrays a teenager, Riley, who wrestles with various emotions in her head that manifested themselves in her outward disposition. 

Emotions and feelings are a human reality - a struggle that leads us to virtue or vice; an outward disposition or manifestation. Roman Catholic Exorcist, Fr Chad Ripperger warns that the devil manipulates our emotions to commit bad things; some times really evil things. Penitentiaries are full of this reality. However rejection of these devilish attempts lead to a virtuous life; our personal lives can attest to saintly family members and friends. The Scriptures give us numerous examples of emotions that led to good or evil beginning with Cain and Abel, sons of Adam and Eve, and of course the great sinner, turned Saint, St Paul. God's will is for us to harness our emotions to become saints!