The passions within you—your emotions, impulses, and appetites—are not your enemies. They are not inherently sinful or shameful. They are power. And like all power, they can either destroy or build, enslave or liberate, corrupt or sanctify. What makes the difference is not the presence of passion, but whether that passion is ruled or left to rule you.

Scripture says, “An untamed horse becomes stubborn…” (Sirach 30:8). Just like a wild stallion, your passions—if left untrained—will lead you wherever they wish, dragging your soul through the dust of sin and into the margins of vice. But if you learn to tame them, to guide them, to bring them under the command of your intellect and will, those same passions become your strength.

Take the example of a river. If uncontrolled, it can flood and bring great destruction. But it also brings life—providing nourishment to the land, animals, and people of the region. When left wild, its goodness is mixed with its destructiveness. But when channeled—say, by a dam at just the right point—its power can be harnessed purely for good, making it even more fruitful: offering energy, transportation, and recreation to the region.

Our passions are like the river—strong, dynamic, and full of potential. But without virtue, they are prone to overflow and cause harm. Virtue, like the dam, is what channels that power—containing it, refining it, and directing it toward what is good.

Left unchecked, your passions can lead to impulsiveness, indulgence, anger, lust, pride, and despair. But when governed by virtue, they become the very force that drives you to courage in trials, zeal for justice, compassion for the suffering, and passionate love for God and neighbor. The goal is not to suppress your passions—but to sanctify them. Not to silence the river, but to channel its flow.

Temperance does not kill desire—it perfects it. Fortitude does not eliminate fear—it overcomes it. Charity does not numb emotion—it orders it in love. When every passion in you is directed toward God, your soul becomes like a mighty river—rushing, radiant, unstoppable, flowing straight into the ocean of divine purpose.

So do not fear your emotions. Do not see your passions as threats. See them as power—power that, if submitted to virtue and surrendered to grace, can transform your life into something extraordinary. Learn to be the master of the river within, not by your own strength alone, but by the strength of the Holy Spirit at work in you.