PASSION

My beloved spoke and said to me,
“Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one, come with me.
See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.
Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
Arise, come, my darling;
my beautiful one, come with me.”

Song of Songs 2:10-12a, 13b (read 2:8-13) NIV

Erotic love is part of life. Song of Songs of the Old Testament is among the world's most erotic literature! It's a song extolling the pleasures of physical love. It records the dialogue between two lovers surrendering themselves to each another! The translation cannot convey to our cultural the wealth of erotic images. In the Hebrew culture the images convey the pleasures of smell, taste, touch and orgasm. It is pure passion without speaking of engagement, wedding, family or children. It is pure ecstasy, without cultural or religious taboos. It is the frenzy of liberation, without neuroses and prejudices.

It is an expression of the counterculture, protesting against the oppression of women and the rejection of the body by a patriarchal culture and religion. The institutional religion treated women as inferior beings. The sexual organs were shameful, reproductive functions impure and the body suspect. The Song of Songs breaks these barriers. Passion is wonderful and can be enjoyed to its fullness!

This book is problematic for churches and often ignored. When timidly mentioned it is watered down and treated as an allegory of the love between God and His People or Christ and the Church. But in this book God is not mentioned even once. Other times it is interpreted as love between husband and wife duly married by Church norms. The churches cannot accept it as it is without disguising it and making it look like something it isn’t.

One of the characteristics of Judaism, Christianity and Islam is the rejection of the human body, especially the female. The body is shameful and should be hidden. Nudity is taboo. Primitive cultures do not have this problem. They accept the body quite naturally. The magazine, Playboy would make no success in Indian tribes. It would be tedious and ho hum. That type of magazine thrives in our culture, because we are neurotic about sex. Our cultural neurosis fuels the pornographic industry, sexual crimes and abuses.

Another aggravating factor in the monotheistic religions is their macho roots. Men have created macho Gods who down women. Men must be in control over women’s bodies. Women have more restrictions imposed on them than men do which produces a double standard of morality in favor of men. That is very evident in the conservative side of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. But in the Song of Songs, both sexes are free to enjoy their sensuality.

Spring has arrived! Winter has passed! Life is sprouting! The plants are waking up and bursting out in bloom. The doves are singing their songs of seduction which is a part of love. The world is full of the beauty of a symphony of colors, sounds, aromas and flavors. It is a time for passion!

Sexual passions are fleeting, but they can lead us to a passion for life and a faith that life is worth it! Life can become charming, even with frustrations and obstacles. Faith can open new and charming worlds with every moment a surprise and each day an adventure. Boredom is the sign of death, passion the sign of life!

Passion drives people to go beyond themselves. It overcomes the limits of logic, faces obstacles and overcomes barriers. Faith and passion are sisters. They see beauty and donate themselves to the beloved. I desire a faith that makes me fall in love with life and all creation with the earth, my dear and the universe, my love.

SONG OF SONGS 2:8-13 – NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV)

Listen! My beloved!

    Look! Here he comes,

leaping across the mountains,

    bounding over the hills.

My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.

    Look! There he stands behind our wall,

gazing through the windows,

    peering through the lattice.

My beloved spoke and said to me,

    “Arise, my darling,

    my beautiful one, come with me.

See! The winter is past;

    the rains are over and gone.

Flowers appear on the earth;

    the season of singing has come,

the cooing of doves

    is heard in our land.

The fig tree forms its early fruit;

    the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.

Arise, come, my darling;

    my beautiful one, come with me.”