752 (ANGER/ MEEKNESS/ TRIPARTITE SOUL) The human soul is tripartite.
The three parts are rationale, intentive (irascibility)and desire. The rationale is that which gives us us the power to think, to pray, to compose speeches, to talk… And the principal part of the reason is the mind (nous). The intentive part is that which gives us the power to oppose evil, sin, passions, the devil… It is what gives us good stubbornness in our spiritual struggle, our opposition to passions, sin and the devil, and the fighting spirit and spiritual strength to acquire godly virtues… Finally, the desiring part of the soul that God has implanted in us is the power to desire and long for the virtue, the kingdom of heaven, the goodness and our love for God, as well as our longing for the union with Him… Unfortunately (and this is something that should not have happened), after the fall of the human race and its exclusion from Paradise and even after our baptism (which in fact is the second Paradise), we perverted these powers of the tripartite soul… And I come to the very thing I want to touch on now: Unfortunately, we operate the intentive part (irascibility) of our soul, outside its proper standards (requirements)… And, instead of turning it, as I said above, against evil, sin, passions and the devil, we, ourselves, turn our anger against our fellow human beings; in fact, against ourselves… My dear brothers and sisters, We must pay close attention to this point. The perversion of anger does us great harm… This kind of anger, when we turn it against our fellow men or even when we by ourselves become angry, wrathful and upset (e.g. when something goes wrong) is soul-destroying and very damaging! In the Bible (specifically the Old Testament), the Lord tells us:
“But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my words” (Isaiah 66:2). God thus oversees and casts a favorable eye on the meek and quiet man… Avoid, therefore, my brethren, as much as you can, anger, which helps us in nothing; on the contrary, it hinders us and does us much harm… Whereas meekness is a great virtue, which of course requires humility.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”, Christ advises and exhorts us. The meek, he says, shall inherit the “earth”, that is, the kingdom of heaven, both in the life to come and in the present life (the kingdom of God that is within us, in the land of our hearts…) Try, therefore, my brother, as best as you can, to be meek and peaceful… Even with your enemies and with those who treat you unkindly!
Do not become like them; on the contrary, by your meekness, you will convince them (if they are properly disposed) and you will win them over! If, therefore, you, in all the circumstances presented to you, show meekness and peace, you will greatly benefit from this attitude…
Try it and you will see… I wish you the best!