“It is my wish that in every place the [people] should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.” When we think about sinfulness we usually associate it with satisfying one’s appetites — sex, food, drink, possessiveness, etc. However, St. Paul seems to have worried more about another type of sinfulness where we react out of emotion in unhealthy ways. Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century picked us this difference and described two divisions: the concupiscible (pursuit instincts) and the irascible (competition/aggression/defense instincts). We can see in the current political environment how dangerous the “irascible instincts” are. They tend to divide people into friends and enemies where to disagree is to make the “other” evil. Thus the Apostle’s call to lift “holy hands” in prayer.
