This evening's discussions covered sections from chapter two of Love and Responsibility: "Sense Impression and Emotion" and "Analysis of Sensuality," pages 101 through 109. Peter welcomed everyone and said a few words about his recent trip to Slovakia and Poland, where he was joined by Alberto Mora, Joy Cruz, Raj Thomas, and Brian McGovern.  He was pleased to report that they had made the first successful steps to begin cooperation with young Catholics in Krakow and Slovakia, who are interested in starting similar Love & Responsibility discussion groups.

Sense Impression and Emotion

Peter launched our discussion with a reflection on the meaning of "Made in the image of God." What exactly does this mean? When he watches people passing by on the street or in hurrying along in Grand Central Station, he thinks to himself: Is that person made in the image of God? What about that person there? And that one over there? Wojtyla writes, in "Sense Impression and Emotion," that sight includes a specific psychic quality that belongs to the sphere of cognition. Our sense impressions are attached to emotions. When we see a picture of Mother Theresa, our first response might be "What an old woman," but rather, we think, "What a saintly woman, what a holy person." The physical is just a hint of deeper value, given what we know about each other. When you see Mother Theresa, what you see is love, and what you see is God, because God is love. Hence, made in the image of God.

Wojtyla introduces the concept of sense impression and continues with a discussion of emotion. Emotion, he says, is also, like a sense impression, as it is a sensory reaction to some object. However, in the content of an impression what is reflected is the image of the object, whereas in an emotion we are reacting to a value which we find in that object. A sense impression is a reaction to content; an emotion is a reaction to value. Not every sense impression engenders emotion. Kevin commented that in his study of child psychology, he learned that young children base their impressions entirely on their senses (emotion) - the tone of voice they hear, facial expressions they see, etc. Only when they grow older and begin to speak/understand language does reason come into play.

Lynne commented that men tend to develop an interest in someone just by seeing, whereas women tend to develop an interest by knowing. Meredith disagreed, saying that it depends on the man -- the modern culture has embedded this type of thinking in society as a way of degrading men -- the notion that men are attracted only by the physical. Lynne countered that she did not mean this in a degrading way at all, but rather as an observation of an inherent difference between men and women. Alberto added that when men see, they can accompany this seeing with emotion. We are making the assumption that a visual impression is a lessor good. Jorge said he in fact would agree with this assumption: If I see an object, and later I find out it is made of copper, it loses value in my eyes; if I later find out it is made of gold, it gains value for me. Kevin commented that despite any gender differences, some people are more visual than others who are more conceptual -- simply a different way of processing.

Analysis of Sensuality

"Any immediate contact between a woman and a man is always the occasion of a sensory experience for both of them. Each of them is a 'body', is therefore exposed to the senses of the other and creates some impression. This impression is frequently accompanied by emotion. This is because by nature the woman represents for the man and the man for the woman a certain value. ... The ease at which the value and impression coalesce, the resulting ease with which emotions arise in contacts between persons of different sexes, is bound up with the sexual urge as a natural property and energy of human existence."

Is sensuality good or bad? In the end, it is something natural yet something to be channeled to a good use. Wojtyla writes that man is not guided by sensuality alone, since we are not animals acting only by instinct, and since a person of the other sex cannot be devalued as an object for use. "...in man, there can be no such thing as 'pure' sensuality, such as exists in animals, nor of the infallible regulation of sensual reactions by instinct. What then is completely natural in animals becomes sub-natural in man. .. sensuality in man is not 'pure,' but modified in one way or another by awareness of values."

Lynne drew an analogy of a car that needs gas to run, yet too much gas/too much acceleration can cause the car to crash. Likewise, too much sensuality that is not channeled or "modified" can destroy a relationship between two people and between man and God.

Wojtyla points out that sensuality by itself is not love, and may very easily become its opposite. "At the same time, we must recognize that when man and woman come together, sensuality, as the natural reaction to a person of the other sex, is a sort of raw material for true, conjugal love. By itself, however, it certainly does not play that role. The yearning for a sexual value connected with 'the body' as an object of use demands integration: it must become an integral part of a fully formed and mature attitude to the person, or else it is certainly not love.... Sensuality must then be open to the other, nobler elements of love."

Laura described the writings of St. Teresa of Avila and her experiences of a Dark Night where God left her. As a mystic, St. Teresa passes through seven interior castles. At the highest level of communion with the Lord, He doesn't let one feel Him (joy). One must go by faith. As one moves along drawing closer to God, all images, ideas and emotional attachments are purged, so that the ultimate meeting with God is pure and direct, with nothing in the way.

In the concluding sentences of Analysis of Sensuality, Wojtyla reveals how he understands the real joy between men and women. He writes: All this however most certainly does not go to show that sensual excitability, as a natural and congenital characteristic of a concrete person, is in itself morally wrong. An exuberant and readily roused sensuality is the stuff from which a rich -- if difficult -- personal life may be made. It may help the individual to respond more readily and completely to the decisive elements in personal love. Primitive sensual excitability [provided it is not of morbid origin] can become a factor making for a fuller and more ardent love." He adds, "Such a love will obviously be the result of sublimation."