When Jesus saw [Mary] weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid [Lazarus]?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”  

"I don’t know, but I think I may be fallin' for you, dropping so quickly. Maybe I should keep this to myself waiting till I know you better. I am trying not to tell you, but I want to. I’m scared of what you’ll say, so I’m hiding what I’m feeling, but I’m tired of holding this inside my head. I’ve been spending all my time just thinking about you. I don’t know what to do. I think I’m fallin' for you. I’ve been waiting all my life, and now I’ve found you. Oh, I just can’t take it. My heart is racing, the emotions keep spinning out."

It is clear from the Gospels that Jesus was God, but it is also clear from the same Gospels that Jesus was man. That which makes someone human, most of all, are emotions. Several times in the Gospels, Jesus shows his human emotions. As he ministered to his friends Mary and Martha, and especially Lazarus, it was evident that he loved them. He felt honest sorrow at the loss of Lazarus, and expressed it in a profoundly human way. We are not sure whether Jesus felt the human emotions connected with romantic love, but whether he did or not, we can only guess that he would have struggled to control them, as he struggled to control the other human emotions he felt.

The fact is that controlling human emotions is not an easy task. Too often our emotions lead us to do things that we would never do if we were not under the influence of our emotions. Such is the case with Colbie Caillat's song. The lady in the relationship is experiencing the feelings connected with love. They are indeed quite pleasant, making her feel good. But by her own acknowledgment of the situation, she realizes that those emotions can make her "spin out" of control. She realizes that she does not know him well yet. She speaks of not telling her partner about what she is feeling because she is afraid of what he will say. She says that she is tired of holding everything inside, but it does not seem that she does anything about it. What her emotions have done, it would seem, is lead her to fall in love, and her partner will have to discover it without her telling him. Her emotions are causing her some problems that she will have to resolve in the very near future.

As we live and act in our world of dating and relationships, we must understand the challenge of honest emotions. We experience the emotions of romantic love, we grow angry, we feel the pain of others, or we are hurt by the actions of others and want to hurt others in return. Whatever our emotions, there must be a guide that we freely accept. With such a guide, our emotions can become "honest." The guide of Jesus in his human life is a good guide for people discovering love. He worked with his emotions in an honest way. They were part of his life, but Jesus was always in control even as he expressed himself in a human way.                   

THOUGHT
PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we often experience strong emotions. Sometimes they lead us to do things that we should not do. Help us truly understand our feelings, and give us the grace to control those feelings in such a way as to live well. Be with us, we pray. 

Questions, comments? Let me know. Email Fr. Mike

©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America