When I was growing up, my grandmother used to tell me that each of us had two natures (she used a dog as the imagery). One was selfish and greedy and the other was good and kind. She told me that how we feed them determined the control they had over our lives.
Yesterday, I was reading the introduction to David Brook's new book, The Road to Character. In it Brooks tells of a book that got him thinking about two sets of virtues. The book, Lonely Man of Faith by Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, describes two Adam's as related in the two versions of Creation in the book of Genesis. Adam I, Soloveitchik says, is career-oriented and seeks to amass credentials and goods. Adam II is seeking to love and sacrifice self in the service of others.
I thought of this when I heard Pope Francis speak to Congress. I believe that the Pope was appealing to the Adam II persona in each of us. The question remains as my grandma used to ask me: Which one will you feed?
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