Christianity is not primarily about rules and regulations, though they do play a part. Christianity is first and foremost about relationship with God. Jesus himself said as much in His high priestly prayer to the Father where He said “this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” There is a reality about relationship. You cannot have a relationship with something or someone who does not exist, but those of us who have known true intimacy know it's reality, be it an earthly or Heavenly relationship. The problem though is that our passions get in the way, at least mine do, and I think Rosaria's too.
Passions are a lot like appetites. Those of us who gain weight by even looking at deserts know full well that left to our own devices we would soon become as big as a house. What seems to happen is that the more we indulge, the grater our capacity to indulge. I am told that when we eat a lot, our stomachs stretch, and that creates greater hunger pangs. Part of what we need to do when trying to loose weight is to starve ourselves a little so that our stomachs (and hence our appetites) shrink.
I have experienced the same thing with desires that lead me away from God. The more I feed the desire either by indulging it, or by fantasizing, the further away from God that I feel, and the less real my relationship (with God) feels. In order to get back to the intimacy with Him, I need to starve my inapropriate passions. I need His help for this, and it is help He freely gives when we ask. The point is that I seem to be a leaky vessel (for the Holy Spirit). But I miss Him when I am not close, and I need to exercise discipline to return (repent). I think this is at least part of what Rosaria is saying!
