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Pain As Spiritual Alarm System For Soul

Pain, in a spiritual context, can function as an alarm system for the soul, signaling a departure from spiritual well-being or a confrontation with evil. This concept is deeply rooted in biblical texts and has been explored by theologians across various traditions. The Psalms frequently express profound spiritual and emotional distress, often intertwined with physical suffering, indicating a soul in turmoil [1, 2, 3, 4]. For instance, Psalm 38:17 states, "My pain is continually before me," while Psalm 55:4 describes a heart "severely pained within me" due to "the terrors of death." Jeremiah similarly cries out, "My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart; my heart is disquieted in me... because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war" [5]. These passages suggest that pain, whether physical or emotional, can serve as a warning, much like a trumpet signaling danger, prompting the individual to seek divine intervention or understanding [5, 6].

Theological traditions have further articulated this understanding of pain. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, defines pain as a passion of the soul, arising from the "conjunction with some evil" and the "perception of this conjunction" [9]. Just as pleasure results from the perception of good, pain arises from the perception of evil, which is understood as the deprivation of some good [9]. Aquinas notes that the effects of the soul's passions are often described metaphorically, with sorrow and pain leading to a "depression" or burdening of the soul, akin to a physical weight [11]. This suggests that pain is not merely a physical sensation but a profound spiritual experience that impacts the soul's state.

Aquinas also distinguishes between different types of pain, including the "pain of loss" and the "pain of sense" [8]. one tradition argues that even the least pain of Purgatory, for example, surpasses the greatest pain of this life, primarily because the desire for the divine vision is so intense after death that its delay causes immense suffering [8]. This highlights the spiritual dimension of pain, where the absence of God or spiritual good can inflict a suffering far greater than any physical ailment. He also considers the suffering of souls who depart with only original sin, noting that while some believe they suffer no pain due to a lack of reason, it is improbable that a soul freed from its bodily burden would be ignorant of what reason could explore [10]. This implies a fundamental awareness in the soul that can lead to spiritual affliction.

The patristic tradition, as seen in Augustine's City of God, acknowledges that the spirit, which animates and rules the body, can suffer pain [7]. Augustine also discusses the misery of humanity as a consequence of disobedience, where the will to do what one cannot do leads to suffering [15]. This connects pain to the fallen human condition and the struggle between the will and its limitations. Hermas, in ANF Vol 2, suggests that "each pleasure and pain nails to the body the soul" of the person who does not separate themselves from passions [14]. This perspective views pain, alongside pleasure, as a force that can bind the soul to the physical world and its desires, implying that spiritual growth involves a detachment from these worldly influences. The act of "crucifying oneself from the passions" is presented as a means of freeing the soul [14].

The concept of pain as a spiritual alarm system is also evident in the understanding of Christ's suffering. Aquinas, in his discussion of Christ's Passion, states that there was both "true and sensible pain" and "internal pain" or "sadness" in Christ [12]. one tradition argues that both were the greatest in this life, arising from four causes [16]. This demonstrates that even in the perfect human, pain was a profound reality, not merely a physical sensation but a deep spiritual and emotional experience. The intensity of Christ's pain underscores its significance, not as a punishment for personal sin, but as a means of redemption and a profound expression of love.

In Reformed theology, while not explicitly using the "alarm system" metaphor, the concept of sin and its consequences often aligns with this idea. Charles Hodge, in his Systematic Theology, discusses the universality and necessity of sin as an unavoidable condition of human existence [13]. While he focuses on the theological implications of sin, the inherent suffering and spiritual distress that accompany it can be seen as a natural consequence, serving as a signal that something is fundamentally amiss in humanity's relationship with God. The "dominance of the latter [God-consciousness] can be attained only gradually" [13], implying a process of spiritual growth that often involves confronting and overcoming the pain associated with sin and its effects.

Sources

  1. Psalms “For I am ready to fall. My pain is continually before me. -- Psalms 38:17”
  2. Psalms “My heart is severely pained within me. The terrors of death have fallen on me. -- Psalms 55:4”
  3. Psalms “But I am in pain and distress. Let your salvation, God, protect me. -- Psalms 69:29”
  4. Psalms “My soul is weary with sorrow: strengthen me according to your word. -- Psalms 119:28”
  5. Jeremiah “My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart; my heart is disquieted in me; I can’t hold my peace; because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. -- Jeremiah 4:19”
  6. Psalms “Draw near to my soul, and redeem it. Ransom me because of my enemies. -- Psalms 69:18”
  7. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP 3.--WHETHER BODILY SUFFERING NECESSARILY TERMINATES IN THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FLESH. (part 2): second death holds the soul in the body against her will. The two have this in common, that the soul suffers against her will what her own body inflicts. Our opponents, too, make much of this, that in this world there is no flesh which can suffer pain and cannot die; while they make nothing of the fact that there is something which is greater than the body. For the spirit, whose presence animates and rules the body, can both suffer pain ”
  8. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, X1, Of the Quality of Souls Who Expiate Actual Sin or Its Punishment in Purgatory, Art. 1: Article: Whether the pains of Purgatory surpass all the temporal pains of this life? I answer that, In Purgatory there will be a twofold pain; one will be the pain of loss, namely the delay of the divine vision, and the pain of sense, namely punishment by corporeal fire. With regard to both the least pain of Purgatory surpasses the greatest pain of this life. For the more a thing is desired the more painful is its absence. And since after this life the holy souls desire the Sov”
  9. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part (Prima Secundae), Of Pain or Sorrow, in Itself, Art. 1: Article: Whether pain is a passion of the soul? I answer that, Just as two things are requisite for pleasure; namely, conjunction with good and perception of this conjunction; so also two things are requisite for pain: namely, conjunction with some evil (which is in so far evil as it deprives one of some good), and perception of this conjunction. Now whatever is conjoined, if it have not the aspect of good or evil in regard to the being to which it is conjoined, cannot cause pleasu”
  10. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, X1, Of the Quality of Those Souls Who Depart This Life with Original Sin Only, Art. 2: Article: Whether these same souls suffer spiritual affliction on account of the state in which they are? I answer that, on this question there are three opinions. Some say that these children will suffer no pain, because their reason will be so much in the dark that they will not know that they lack what they have lost. It, however, seems improbable that the soul freed from its bodily burden should ignore things which, to say the least, reason is able to explore, and many more besi”
  11. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part (Prima Secundae), Of the Effects of Pain or Sorrow, Art. 2: Article: Whether the effect of sorrow or pain is to burden the soul? I answer that, The effects of the soul's passions are sometimes named metaphorically, from a likeness to sensible bodies: for the reason that the movements of the animal appetite are like the inclinations of the natural appetite. And in this way fervor is ascribed to love, expansion to pleasure, and depression to sorrow. For a man is said to be depressed, through being hindered in his own movement by some weigh”
  12. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Defects of Soul Assumed by Christ, Art. 6: Article: Whether there was sorrow in Christ? I answer that, As was said above (Article [5], ad 3), by Divine dispensation the joy of contemplation remained in Christ's mind so as not to overflow into the sensitive powers, and thereby shut out sensible pain. Now even as sensible pain is in the sensitive appetite, so also is sorrow. But there is a difference of motive or object; for the object and motive of pain is hurt perceived by the sense of touch, as when anyone is wounded; but the object ”
  13. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 39: all liberty to the creature. If the Infinite Being is the only agent, then all that is, is due to his direct efficiency; and sin, therefore, is either his work or it is a mere negation. 3. Because what, according to this theory, is called sin is absolutely universal and absolutely necessary. It is the unavoidable consequence or condition of the existence of such a being as man. That is, of a being with a self-consciousness and a God-consciousness, in such proportions and relation that the dominance of the latter can be attained only gradu”
  14. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. XX.--THE TRUE GNOSTIC EXERCISES PATIENCE AND SELF-RESTRAINT. (part 3): "each pleasure and pain nails to the body the soul" of the man, that does not sever and crucify himself from the passions. "He that loses his life," says the Lord, "shall save it;" either giving it up by exposing it to danger for the Lord's sake, as He did for us, or loosing it from fellowship with its habitual life. For if you would loose, and withdraw, and separate (for this is what the cross means) your soul from the delight and pleasure th”
  15. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 15.--OF THE JUSTICE OF THE PUNISHMENT WITH WHICH OUR FIRST PARENTS WERE VISITED FOR THEIR DISOBEDIENCE. (part 2): else is man's misery but his own disobedience to himself, so that in consequence of his not being willing to do what he could do, he now wills to do what he cannot? For though he could not do all things in Paradise before he sinned, yet he wished to do only what he could do, and therefore he could do all things he wished. But now, as we recognize in his offspring, and as divine Scripture testifies, "Man is like to van”
  16. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), The Passion of Christ, Art. 6: Article: Whether the pain of Christ's Passion was greater than all other pains? I answer that, As we have stated, when treating of the defects assumed by Christ (Question [15], Articles [5],6), there was true and sensible pain in the suffering Christ, which is caused by something hurtful to the body: also, there was internal pain, which is caused from the apprehension of something hurtful, and this is termed "sadness." And in Christ each of these was the greatest in this present life. This arose from four cause”
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