Comments for The Flesh and the Spirit at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 5 out of 5 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Sun, 26 May 2013 00:38:58 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/the-flesh-and-the-spirit.html#comment-9575 Brilliant! - Sara Beth Baker Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:34:05 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/the-flesh-and-the-spirit.html#comment-9572 I think Dr. DeMarco does not have a clear understanding of the soul-spirit distinction when he says: "The flesh is, in the Christian view, good – created by the same God who created the spirit (or soul)." The spirit is not equal to the soul as he suggests here which is why the Faith describes humans as having a "spiritual soul" which distinguishes it from an say an animal's soul. In Catholic theology, as described by St. Thomas Aquinas in the Summa the souls is simply the life giving principle in any living entity, be it a vegetable, animal, or human. What distinguishes a human's soul is the fact that it is spiritual. The faculties of the spiritual aspect of our soul are will and intellect. It is these things that make us "in the image and likeness of God." Man possess a "soul" similar to that of the plant world (vegitative) and the animal wold (animative)when we act as this way or that. This is why we say that we are not like tha animals in that we can practice self-control over our sexual faculties - we are not driven by lust or instinct... In this reguard we can say that there is a struggle between the flesh and the spirit, if we put what St. Paul is saying into its proper context. When the Apostle says: "But I say: Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the laws of the flesh." He is using the term "flesh" to describe the bestial faculties of the soul which are as he describes: "immorality, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, witchcrafts, enmities, contentions, jealousies, anger, quarrels, factions, parties, envies, murders, drunkenness, carousings, and suchlike." Notice that these characteristics do not find a place within the scope of the spirit's faculties that we possess, which as I mentioned are will and intellect! Read and understood in this light it is easy to understand what St. Paul means when he says: "My spirit is willing, but my flesh is so weak." Or even better, when Our Blessed Mother proclaims: "My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." Whithout the proper distinction made, the Mary's words are redundant and unnecessary. - Loyolakiper Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:41:09 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/the-flesh-and-the-spirit.html#comment-9571 Come unto me, all ye labouring and burdened ones, and I will give you rest - BradW Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:32:01 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/the-flesh-and-the-spirit.html#comment-9568 Love this article. Hope he writes many more like this one! - Christine Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:18:41 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/the-flesh-and-the-spirit.html#comment-9564 What a fantastic debut! Professor DeMarco, we look forward to many more of your columns. Thanks so much. - Dave Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:46:55 +0100