It might seem we cannot change how things taste to us. But our wants—which determine our pleasures and pains—come under our control. It is our challenge and our glory to strive to bring our wants and tastes into conformity with the truth. Such is the ultimate self-help and self-improvement.
A striking principle of Aristotle’s ethics is that you know a man by what brings him pleasure and pain. A good man enjoys what is truly good and is pained by what is truly bad. What an astounding reality! Thus the ancient view of ‘education’ and Christian moral thinking align in focusing on ‘conversion’ in the sense of changing our heart, in the little things and in the big.
What does it take to form a heart to respond to things as they are? Well, in any case, it is wonderful to be able to formulate the question and to spend our days considering it—with our friends, with our spouse, with anyone who cares to join us!
The word ‘taste’ is important in thinking about this. Today the word often means our wants in small, unimportant matters—as when someone says, ‘that’s just a matter of taste.’ But there is a richer sense (pun intended). How we ‘taste’ things is how we ‘savor’ them or not. The philosophical and theological tradition use taste to express how we experience even the highest things, such as in “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
We are in wonderfully deep waters here. The Latin word for wisdom (sapientia) comes from the word for taste. The wise men, in the words of St. Bernard, is he who taste things as they are. Again, we ask ourselves: whence the ability so to taste? Here is one practical thought, fitting for the season of Lent.
In Sirach is this striking line: “Wisdom is exceedingly unpleasant to the unlearned.” (6:21) Wow. Wisdom should taste good, since it is the very savoring of things as they really are. But to me, wisdom is often unpleasant. Even exceedingly.
Yes, I must be honest and know myself. How often does the truth of a situation—for instance that some suffering is clearly good and necessary—deeply annoy me? It is even exceedingly unpleasant. Perhaps it will never be easy for me; but that it is exceedingly unpleasant means I have a mis-formed heart. My taste is off. I am unlearned. So now what?
Embracing the good that should be more pleasant to me is a real step toward tasting it as it is. By embracing I mean saying ‘yes!’ And if possible, even saying, ‘thank you!’
To complain, or to have a woe-is-me attitude, is to lock in the negative taste. It is to be satisfied with remaining ‘unlearned,’ mis-attuned to the real harmony.
To say ‘yes!’ and ‘thank you!’ is to reach toward the positive taste—the tasting that is actually true! It is to choose what we know with our mind is harmonious, though as yet it strikes our ear as discordant. Gently, steadily we train our ‘senses;’ we train our ‘taste;’ we form our heart. And we strive to do likewise for those we love, and those under our care. Especially in Lent. Lent is for learning to taste things, better.
Yes, taste, and see. Already I believe. I ‘know’ it will taste wonderful beyond my imagining. But only he who really tastes really knows. And is wise. ~ ~ ~
LAST CALL for Man of the Household and Woman of the Household COURSES for LENT!
TODAY’S PODCAST: FR GREGORY PINE on DAD AS SPIRITUAL HEAD IN THE HOME. Being spiritual head is the most difficult, under-examined, and central aspect of a man’s place in the home. Join me and Fr. Pine in discussing the difference spiritual headship makes in our spiritual life; spiritual ramifications of complementarity; the graced exercise of authority; marriage as means of salvation; the feminine spiritual genius, and more!
Husband, father, and professor of Philosophy. LifeCraft springs from one conviction: there is an ancient wisdom about how to live the good life in our homes, with our families; and it is worth our time to hearken to it. Let’s rediscover it together. Learn more.
