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Religious emotion
John Henry Newman

St. John Henry Newman's sermon titled “Religious Emotion” focuses on the important truth that a violent impulse is not the same as an unwavering and sincere resolve of the will. Newman observes that people can experience strong religious emotions without thereby becoming more inclined to practical obedience to God; moreover, an excess of emotions can even hinder perseverance in faith.

Newman illustrates the contrast between emotions and actions with the example of St. Peter, who zealously assured his loyalty only to deny Christ shortly afterward, and the Jerusalem crowd, which first enthusiastically welcomed Jesus with palms and a few days later demanded His crucifixion. The Doctor of the Church warns against the danger of “counterfeit zeal” and confusing fleeting emotions or good thoughts with true obedience. People often soothe their consciences with the fact that they occasionally feel religiously moved, which Newman precisely calls “counterfeit earnestness,” which leads them astray from the simple path of the duties of their state.

The ideal to which a Christian should aspire is not a stormy and passionate love, but a calm, respectful, contemplative, and obedient one—that is, the kind with which a child regards parents. Although strong emotions may accompany conversion or difficult moments, they do not constitute the essence of faith.

Jesus is the supreme model of devotion characterized by “deep calm.” Even in the face of unimaginable suffering in Gethsemane or on the Cross, the words and actions of the Savior were free from exaltation, marked by gravity and simplicity. The sermon ends with a call not to trust in words alone (“Lord, Lord”), but to focus on action.

One hidden act of self-denial or sacrifice for duty is worth more than torrents of tears, ecstasies, or spiritual exaltation. It is precisely good deeds that are the fruits of faith by which we will be judged, while feelings come and go, not being a test of true devotion.

- “(...) religious feelings may be strongly moved, and yet a man does not become thereby more inclined to practical obedience to God. Sometimes even the opposite happens; he becomes less capable of it.”

- “One hidden act of self-denial, one sacrifice of one's own inclination offered to duty, is worth more than all the good thoughts, warm feelings, and fervent prayers to which vain people gladly devote themselves.”

- “It is not enough to call on you to serve Christ in faith, fear, love, and gratitude; one must still ensure that it is the faith, fear, love, and gratitude of a sound mind.”

-“Greater comfort on our deathbed will be given to us by the memory of one act of mercy, purity, or humility that cost us self-denial, than by the memory of many tears shed, frequent ecstasies, and numerous spiritual raptures.”

These are just fragments of the broader perspective on religious emotion that the Doctor of the Church outlines for us.

Full sermon
https://www.newmanreader.org/works/parochial/volume1/sermon14.html

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