Heart verses head; which should lead out?
Instead of pitting them against each other, perhaps we should state the following:
Holy thoughts never contradict holy desires; holy desires never contradict holy thoughts.
In other words, as we grow in maturity of head and heart, we should find that they support each other, not conflict.
Rather, conflict is a sign that one or the other is sinful or immature in some way.
It is true that the heart and head have different expertise. There is a sense in which the heart is better at apprehending what is unique, creative, personal, and transcendent. It allows us to sense something before we can articulate it. In that sense, the heart will provide guidance lost on the head.
If our reasoning is well formed, however, it will respect this. Mature reasoning knows its own limitations. It knows that some things are mysterious and need to be respected as such. It doesn't dominate and control beyond its proper sphere.
Reasoning is better at attuning us to objective absolutes: those things that universally apply in all circumstances. Reasoning respects the laws of gravity and the 10 Commandments. It knows to not contradict church teaching. It respects whatever is fixed and unalterable and helps us to align ourselves with that.
We are each individuals living out a personal, unique destiny within a world governed by moral and physical absolutes. Hence, we need both a heart and a head; the first to guide us personally, the second to help us navigate the cosmos.
As our heart grows in holiness it only wants what is the good.
As our reasoning grows in holiness, it only wants what is good.
The good is where both head and heart meet, each grasping some facets of the truth more deeply than the other.
A holy heart: content with reason's discipline.
A holy head: flexible enough to nurture the heart's aspirations.
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