Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Introduction............................................................................................................................................................................1 The term Theology............................................................................................................................................................2 The term Body...................................................................................................................................................................2 The term Theology of the Body.........................................................................................................................................2 The Gospel: foundation of the Theology of the Body........................................................................................................2 Opposition between the law and the truth about modern man...........................................................................................2 Jesus reply on the truth of modern man.............................................................................................................................3 The two stories of creation in Genesis................................................................................................................................3 How should we read enesis!.......................................................................................................................................3 "e#ond story of #reation$ enesis 2$ %&'(..........................................................................................................................% How do we be#ome aware of oursel)es! .....................................................................................................................% *rimordial +original, solitude...........................................................................................................................................( -ans )o#ation to lo)e.....................................................................................................................................................( -oment of solitude before being male or female...........................................................................................................( .eep sleep of man........................................................................................................................................................../ 0irst story of #reation$ enesis '$ 2/&21............................................................................................................................./ ods image..................................................................................................................................................................../ *rimordial unity.............................................................................................................................................................../ Histori#al #onte2t of the )iew of our bodies..................................................................................................................../ The gift of oursel)es......................................................................................................................................................../ The consequences of primordial unity................................................................................................................................7 .i)ersity )ersus differen#e..................................................................................................................................................3 4symmetri# re#ipro#ity....................................................................................................................................................1 "pousal meaning of our bodies......................................................................................................................................1 symmetric reciprocity.........................................................................................................................................................! The woman..............................................................................................................................................................................! The threshold e"perience: primordial nudity....................................................................................................................1# 5hat is shame! +in opposition to modesty,......................................................................................................................'6 The gift of myself...............................................................................................................................................................'' The spousal signifi#an#e of the body................................................................................................................................'' $hat is lo%e&........................................................................................................................................................................12 7ntrodu#tion........................................................................................................................................................................'2 "our#es.........................................................................................................................................................................'2 The )iews of 8an Hildebrants and "t 4gustine............................................................................................................'2 .ifferent 9inds of lo)e....................................................................................................................................................'3 5rong #on#eption of lo)e today....................................................................................................................................'3 :efle#tion on pleasure )s delight......................................................................................................................................'3 The personalisti# norm......................................................................................................................................................'% Tenden#y towards se2uality..............................................................................................................................................'% eneral analysis of lo)e ; a##ording to John *aul 77........................................................................................................'% <o)e as attra#tion..........................................................................................................................................................'( <o)e as #on#upis#en#e.................................................................................................................................................'( <o)e as bene)olen#e....................................................................................................................................................'( *sy#hologi#al analysis of lo)e...........................................................................................................................................'/ 5hat about fertility and family!.........................................................................................................................................'3 'uestions..............................................................................................................................................................................17 5hat about #ouples that #annot ha)e #hildren!...............................................................................................................'3 7n the Bible= 4dam felt lonely= so od #reated >)e. How did we all #ome from 4dam and >)e! .................................'3 5hen od #reated man and women= he #ommanded them not to eat of the fruit of the tree and to fulfill the earth! How #ould they ha)e fulfilled the earth if there was not fall!.....................................................................................................'1 How to deal with homose2uality!......................................................................................................................................'1 4re the years that seminarians do not see any women ? families really good for them!..................................................'1
Introduction
5hat is the theology of the body! & How we #an understand od through understanding oursel)es & @
'A(/(62/1.do#
"our#e$ the *opes tea#hing on the Theology of the Body +gi)en in 5ednesday audien#es,. 7n this #lass= we will see the first 26 only ta9ing about the *rin#ipium +Beginning,. There are another fi)e #y#les. +Bomo e dona io #reo ; John *aul 77,
& &
&
'A(/(62/1.do#
*age 2 of '1
The whole of the Theology of the Body is founded on this te2t be#ause it is Jesus himself that spea9s. The conte"t is the following$ the *harisees #ome to Jesus to put him to the test. They had heard that Jesus prea#hed that di)or#e was not possible. They re#all that there is one #ase where 4braham allows di)or#e in one #ase$ adultery. Jesus replies that yes= this law is in the Old Testament. 7nstead= this law e2ists be#ause of their hardheartedness and not be#ause it is ods plan. There is a big duality between$ 2aw 8s. The truth a*out modern man
"in#e the time of religion wars= people wanted to find another #ommon foundation outside religion. This ended up in reason being studied by many philosophers. This reason led to the fa#t that it was possible to ha)e a law pro)iding moral order. Jesus says that in the beginning= this was not as it was. .i)or#e goes against the truth about man= what he was #reated for. Today= the Ihur#h is redis#o)ering this truth of man= as opposed to the law that had been fo#used on before. The law is actually a consequence of who we are 3 not the other way around. 7f we spea9 about truths about the family and lo)e= we need to dis#o)er who we are and what we are #alled to be.
'A(/(62/1.do#
*age 3 of '1
>)en though there was a *rea7 between the beginning and today in the fallC in the story of man9ind= there is no discontinuity. On the #ontrary= there is #ontinuity in our image and li9eness of od. 4s Jesus says that sin#e we are still the image of od= we #an go ba#9 to the state of man at the beginning. This is the origin of the theology of the body.
Jesus #ame to the world to re)eal two things$ & who od is & who man is Through the theology of the body= we will see that we #an say something about od.
Jesus e2plains that in -athew 'A= to be one= we need to be two +man and woman,E To be#ome one flesh= we need to be man and woman ; not only in terms of flesh. 7t says= od #reated man= male and female@ How do we 9now that we are male or female! 5e 9now that through our bodyE The body is thus our point of approa#h. 7n the analysis of the two stories of #reation= the 9ey point from whi#h we will approa#h them will be the *ody.
'A(/(62/1.do#
*age % of '1
How does self:consciousness arise inside us! 0irst= we be#ome aware through our body. 5e realiDe that we ha)e a body and that we are a body. 5e realiDe also that we #an determine oursel)es also ; when we do something good= we be#ome good +and li9ewise with e)il,. The big Guestion of our e2isten#e is$ who am I 4 where do I go4 where do I come from& 5hen is it that man realiDes that he is a person= different.
"o= prior to *eing male and female4 we are 0 ?E 5hat the se#ond story of #reation wants to say is that prior to being male and female= we are man +in a state of solitude before we gi)e oursel)es to another,. But= man #an only e2ist as male or female.
'A(/(62/1.do#
*age ( of '1
Only after the #reation of the woman= the man be#omes male +with meaning, and the woman is female. "o prior to a se2ual differentiation= there is one thing that we share$ being man and e2perien#ing this primordial solitude.
God>s image
5hat is important is the fa#t that the image of od is refle#ted in all of us. 5e do all depend on him= entrusted with reason. But this #ommon human nature e2ists both as male and female. John *aul 77 says that the se"ual difference does enlighten us on who God is= be#ause this is in his image +but not meaning that od is se2ual,. 4s both male and female= we will always la#9 something if we stay alone. 5e will be in the #omplete image of od only when man and woman are united ; alone= something of ods image is missing. The other se2 is always representing something to us about the image of
od.
9rimordial unity
7n the se#ond story= when 4dam sees >)e= he says$ 0lesh of my flesh= bone of my boneE 7t is a pure #ry of aweE 0inally= he re#ogniDes in this woman something they ha)e in #ommon ; same origin= same nature. This is a dual unity be#ause he sees that they are different= e)en though they are united. <ater is says= that man lea)es his mother and father to be#ome one flesh. 7n this differen#e= originates the #all to married life +spouse, and to lo)e. Ialled to be#ome one flesh= men and women bear fruit. 7n this dual unity= the fruit is the communion of persons +#ommunio personarum,. Out of this lo)e= a third one originates +in the image of the Trinity,. This #ommunion of person is our #all ; either in a family or in a different way. Therefore= the #ommunion of persons ; where out of lo)e a third one is born ; bears the real witness of who od really is. 5hen there is di)or#e= this witness is bro9en. The image of ods faithfulness is bro9en.
'A(/(62/1.do#
*age / of '1
5hen we approa#h oursel)es in this way= our whole )iew of se2uality #hangesE 7t is a positi)e approa#h to the fa#t that we are male and femaleE 5e #an than9 od that we are man or woman. 5hen we fall in lo)e +as a married man or in the s#hool,= we #an be frea9ed out be#ause this does not fit with our state of life@ or we #an say than9 od for ma9ing me a manE 7ndeed= than9s to the attra#tion of our parents= we are hereE 7n this dual unity= we tou#h the heart of our being and )o#ationE
'A(/(62/1.do#
*age 3 of '1
5e see that se"uality defines my deepest *eing= not only my outside. This also leads us to understand a bit of od$ e)en though the 0ather is not the "on +greatest differen#e,= they share the same identity of being odE
symmetric reciprocity
Iomplementarity is not the right word. There is asymmetric reciprocity. 5e are not two hal)es of an apple. 5e re#ei)e the other as the other one. 7n re#ei)ing >)e as the other one= 4dam re#ei)es the Other OneE 7n this dual unity= the image of od be#omes )isible. *%or a really intellectual trip+ try to understand this,- 7n Jesus Ihrist= di)ine and human nature #ome together. This is asymmetri# be#ause it is not at the same le)el. od and man meet in Ihrist ; man is #ontingent= od is eternal.
symmetric reciprocity
Being #omplementary is not enough to e2plain the differen#e between man and woman. 0irst of all= there is re#ipro#ity ; being open to relation. 4s man= it is more appropriate to tal9 about reciprocity be#ause they #an be identified only in terms of ea#h other. 4s in the trinity= the differen#es of the three persons are #hara#teriDed by their relationship. -an= being in the image of od thus ta9es this #hara#teristi# also of being re#ipro#al. $hy asymmetric& 7t does not only apply to a husband and wife. Ta9e a mother ; she is also a wife or spouse= she is also a daughter of parents@ "o= e)en in a family we ha)e different asymmetri#al relationships. 7n e)ery single relationship= there is this asymmetri#al relationship. 7f we say that husbands and wife li)e in a relationship of complementarity= the #ouple #an enter into a 9ind of selfishness as a #ouple. 7n fa#t= the two #ome together to be open to others$ #hildren= friends@ The idea is not lets 9eep it small and #oDy= but= let us open up oursel)es to othersE 0or e2ample= there are families with only boys or only girls. 7n these families= there is always something missingE 7t is not their fault= but there is this 9ind of primordial solitude ; always loo9ing for the other.
The woman
enesis 2$ '1 7t is not right that man remain alone= 7 shall ma9e him a helper. Traditionally= this #an be #onsidered to be a ser)ant. 7n fa#t= it is not meant to ha)e a helper in a material sense with man dominating the woman and the woman sedu#es him. "in#e original sin= pride and #on#upis#en#e always remain in man. But= in the redeemed state of Ihrist= #harity will rule.
'A(/(62/1.do#
*age 1 of '1
In the original state4 the logic is not that of sla%ery ; but as Jesus says= we are in a logi# of friends. 5omen are to be obedient= but men are to lo)e their wi)es as he has +until dying for the other,. Jesus #alls us to lo)e ea#h other as friends ; friends gi)e all to ea#h other= friends do not #ommand but gi)e ad)i#e. This new perspe#ti)e is a law of #harity. Only when the woman appears to 4dam= does he understand that he is 7 be#ause she is JOB and does he understand that he is male. )he re%ealed herself to him= he was not told who she was ; it was through the body that he re#ogniDed that. dam immediately saw that she was not another #reature or animal= but a Jou= another being of his nature= another 7. 4dam sees that they ha)e something in #ommon ; being both persons ; but that there is something different. Hen#e= the man will lea)e his family to be#ome united with the woman. 7n the .ignity of the 5oman +-ulieris .ignitatem ; 'AA1= paragraph 2',= the *ope #alls the woman the Aprophetic geniusB. 5hat does this mean! & The woman sets things straight= she is the mind behind it & 4 womans mind wor9s different than a mans ; and it wor9s better for this stuff. & They parti#ipate more #losely in gi)ing life as od does & "he en#ourages man in a subtle way= as -ary did at Iana & 5omen are more intuiti)e enius does not mean that she is more brilliant at an intelle#tual le)el. 4 prophet spea9s the truth and 9ind of ma9es life un#omfortable. *rophets always refer to od. 5omen do that in a genius way ; in a more #omplete way that men do. 4s the helper= she is the other one. 4dam was there= and before him was the other one. "he is gi)en to him by od= so through her e2isten#e= she re)eals odC be#ause= e%ery Aother oneB re%eals the A.ther .neB whi#h is od. 7n our life= the se2ual differen#e is one of those pla#es where we e2perien#e that our life is limited and that we are not enough for oursel)es. But= on#e we lo)e= we realiDe that we desire more. 7n lo)e= we feel that we are open to infinity ; e)en though in this life on earth= we are limited. This other one points that we are gi)en the Other One to re#ei)e. -onsenior "#ola will say that the other one is different par e2#ellen#e. "he will always remain the other one= remaining different and always pointing to od. 7n their e2isten#e= women show that e%erything is a gift and that we are to re#ei)e all. -ary is an e2ample of perfe#t waiting ; in her )irginity= she shows us that before we gi)e= there is an attitude of being open to od +the Other One, from whom we re#ei)e e)erything. Therefore in the Ihur#h= before there is *eter= there is -ary. The whole ministry of the Ihur#h is not possible if *eter does not follow the e"ample of 0ary that re#ei)es the 5ord= says= Jes= and then wel#omes Ihrist. 4ll women show us that there is this attitude of re#ei)ing first and foremost. 4s women= they ha)e this par e2#ellen#e. -ary is the perfe#t e2ample of this ; at the same time she is the mother= the spouse and the gi)er of life. 4s men= we need to remember that -ary #omes before *eterE 5hen men are alone= there is #ompetition and #leri#alism. 7f you bring in a real woman li)ing her )o#ation= things #hange. *rophets ha)e this #hara#teristi# of being humble= but pro)o9ing the other to li)e his #all. (oes the soul ha%e a se"ual identity& "e2ual identity as su#h is lin9ed to the body. The body somehow ma9es our se2uality )isible= whereas the soul is not )isible. 4s a person= we ha)e unity between body and soul. 7t would be wrong to say that the soul is not se2ual be#ause it is lin9ed to the body.
'A(/(62/1.do#
*age A of '1
'A(/(62/1.do#
They understand that the other one #annot be redu#ed to an obFe#t of ones lust. They realiDe that in their differen#e= they are to gi)e ea#h other to the other and be#ome oneself. The person re&finds oneself in the sin#ere gift of oneself.
'A(/(62/1.do#
ll %ocations are spousal. 0or most of us= this is marriageC but= the other )o#ations also represent Ihrist +the "pouse, that was the spouse of the Ihur#h. 7f a priest is married= he #annot represent this uni)ersal lo)e for the Ihur#h. 7f priests be#ome able to be married= we will loose this dynamism. Ionse#rated sisters are li9e the spouses of Ihrist. Ionse#rated brothers are li9e friends of the spouse= waiting for his #oming. 5e are all #alled to li)e a spousal life= e)en if we ha)e not yet found our )o#ation. 4s baptiDed Ihristians= we are already #apable of li)ing our spousal #all. The mystery of se2uality needs to be understood in all of our )o#ationsE "in#e we still ha)e the same body as the one we had in the original state= we #an better understand the truth about oursel)es. 4s we said= you #annot separate our se2ual differen#e= lo)e and fertility. 0or e2ample= in 78" +test&tube babies,= babies are made out of the #onte2t of lo)e. 5e #annot separate our se2ual differen#e from lo)e +in pre&marital or in homose2ual relations,. How #an priests or sisters be fertile! "piritual maternity or paternity also e2ists. *riests need to realiDe that fertility is importantE "t *aul realiDes that he has fathered his brothers into Ihristian life. 5hen we lea)e our mom= we #ut the umbili#al #ord. 7n a way= our mother gi)es us a new life at that moment. Bnder the #ross= -ary gi)es up her son and be#omes the mother of the Ihur#h. 4gain= she gi)es birth a se#ond time to Ihrist in gi)ing birth to the Ihur#h. "pousal signifi#an#e of the body= #ontinued Our whole life= and our real %ocation is fertility. This spousal mystery re)eals something about od and our #all. 5e are all #alled to a nuptial way of life. Our whole life is #alled to be a nuptial #elebration ; implying Foy= gift of self@ Our final destination is a big wedding party +wedding feast of the lamb in hea)en,. 4s of today= we are #alled to li)e thisE The whole Bible is a big lo)e story= as shown in the "ong of "ongs ; where od runs after us= in lo)eE 4s Ihrist too9 on the body of man= he is the spouse. 5e= li9e -ary are #alled to be brides of Ihrist. This is the spousal signifi#an#e of the body. Our body reminds us that we are always #alled to li)e this spousal #all. Our body= is #alled by the Holy 0ather as the 9rimordial )acramentE Our body is something from the origin. Through this )isibility of being man or woman= our #all to be a spouse is made #lear. 4 sa#rament is something you need to honor. 7t is no longer about the prison of the soul. Our body refle#ts our #all to lo)e.
$hat is lo%e&
.ntroduction
)ources
This is based on the approa#h of Larol 5oFtyla in his boo9 <o)e and :esponsibility. 4s a phenomenologist= he #ontinuously goes around the subFe#t= and by the end of the boo9= you ha)e understood the subFe#t. There is also an appendi2 on se2ology that is Guite good. 7n his tea#hing= he gi)es #lear guidelines on what is good or e)ilC he does not #ondemn but en#ourage us to li)e in the way he des#ribes. 8an Hildebrant will also be Guoted.
'A(/(62/1.do#
forum of all our good deeds. 4ll a#ts that we do be#ome an e2pression of #harity. The two #ommandments= lo)e od and neighbor= summaries all the tea#hing of the prophets. 7n a way= it is lo%e and do what e%er you want +"t 4ugustine,. This Guote #an be easily misunderstood= mostly be#ause it is a Guestion of what we #onsider lo)e to beE The lo)e that "t 4ugustine spea9s about is #harity ; first being lo)e of od and then= lo)e of neighbor. 0inally= we will understand that our neighbor is the image of od and my brother in IhristE Ihrist tells us to lo)e our enemies be#ause Ihrist thought it was worth to gi)e his life for them tooE
5hen a mother gi)es up her life for her #hild= is this lo)e! Jes= but= it is not #harity in its #ompletion. Iharity= being a gra#e re#ei)ed= will bring all our lo)e to perfe#tion. Iharity is the highest form of lo)e. "o= all the lo)e that we 9now points to Iharity= being the supreme form of lo)e.
'A(/(62/1.do#
7f we loo9 at egoisti# and utilitarian lo)e= we aim for pleasure. On the #ontrary= in the #ommunion of persons= the aim is lo)e and eternal delight. *leasure is a sear#h for itself only. 5hereas in the gi)ing of two people to one another= lo)e be#omes a beautiful fruits$ eternal delight.
7n order to ensure that something is really lo)e= we need to apply the personalistic norm. Lant says that the human person is always an aim in itself= and #annot be redu#ed to a means to attain a #ertain aim. The human person is the only person that has been wanted by od for himself. Hen#e= no human being #an e)er be redu#ed to an obFe#t or to something that 7 #an use. The *ope says that the personalisti# norm is a good way of testing our a#tions and lo)e. .o 7 #onsider the other as another 7 or am 7 using the other person. 7n grammar= someone #an be the obFe#t of my lo)e= but 7 need to realiDe that the obFe#t 7 lo)e #annot be redu#ed to an obFe#t. The obFe#t is a#tually a subFe#t= in the image of od= a tra#e of od +"t 4ugustine,.
7s then our tenden#y to se2uality the same as that of animals! MoE 5e ha)e reason and thus are able to ma9e #hoi#es. Our freedom is our big differen#e. 5e do ha)e se2ual tenden#y in #ommon with animals. 5hen we tal9 about animals= we tal9 about reprodu#tion. This #annot be the #ase for human beings. 5hen we tal9 about human beings= we tal9 about pro:creation= it is not an instin#t of spring timeE The 9ey tea#hing of the Ihur#h is responsi*le parenthood. 7n pro&#reation= we #ooperate in freedom with the Ireator. 7n e)ery se2ual a#t= our freedom is at sta9eE 5e are not Fust an animalE 5e ha)e freedom and we need to integrate this in our lo)eE 4nother 9ey word is Truth. 4s a human being= 7 am #alled to re#ogniDe the truth about myself= and li)e in lo)e. Today= se2ual desires are sometimes li)ed li9e animals.
'A(/(62/1.do#
2o%e as attraction
How #ome we fall in lo)e! 5hy are we attra#ted! 5e see in the other person something we li9e. 5e would li9e to 9now this person better. 5e go to see the person= tal9 to her and be#ome attra#ted by her. This happens at the carnal and spiritual affecti%e le%el. The pope says that we #an be attra#ted at different le)els= but what always attra#t us are the )alues of the other person. 4 %alue is a good in itself= gi)en to me and appearing good in itself. 7t is not something that #an satisfy me or an immediate need ; it is a good in itself. There are different )alues= different goods in itself. The )alues #all a right response$ respe#t me as a )alue and do not ta9e me for an obFe#t. Beauty= the e2ternal aspe#ts are a )alue in itselfE There is nothing wrong in saying someone is beautiful +e)en the *ope says it,E 7n addition to our se2uality= there are intelle#tual and moral )alues. They play at different le)els and #an attra#t us. On#e we per#ei)e them= it #an happen that we are affe#ted by them and fall in lo)e with this person. The *ope #alls these emotional effe#ti)e rea#tions in us as *lind. 5e ha)e no power o)er them= we do not #hoose them= they Fust happen to us. 5e #annot e2plain why it happens to us ; that is why it is blind. But= afterwards= the attra#tion needs to be confronted with our personal situation +state of life,. 0or e2ample= if 7 +0ather eert Jean,= a priest= 7 need to disa)ow this attra#tion be#ause it is not in line with the truth of my state of life. >)en if at the initial le)el= these feelings blind us= our reason #omes into the game at the ne2t le)el. Then our heart needs to follow our reason and the truth about oursel)es. 5e need to be wat#hful for oursel)es and the others around us. Being #areful for others is really a giftE
2o%e as concupiscence
Ion#upis#en#e is disordered desires ; ma9ing us wanting to grasp. Maturally= lo)e translates itself also in a #ertain desire for the other. 5hen you lo)e someone= you want to see and meet the other person= you want to be together. This is normal be#ause as a person= 7 am a limited being and on#e 7 lo)e someone= 7 ha)e an e)en greater desire for the other one. >)en in marriage= you long to e2press you lo)e in be#oming one flesh. This is all goodE 5here there is a need= there is also a la#9. 7n the other= 7 realiDe that in the other= 7 #an fill that need. 5e need to loo9 at the personalisti# norm and Guestion our self$ am 7 ta9ing the other as an obFe#t to satisfy my needs! 5hat is important here is that before the other person= 7 realiDe this la#9 in me and this desire to be#ome one flesh. This desire to be together a#tually ma9es me happy be#ause the other is an obFe#ti)e good for me. 5hen 7 realiDe that the other is a person= we will be at the same le)el ; respe#ting ea#h other= the obFe#t of ea#h others lo)e and a gift for one another. 7t is not grasping but gi)ingE Ion#upis#en#e is disordered se2ual desires ; when desire is not born out of lo)e. 7n this #ase of lo%e as concupiscence4 it is the good se"ual desire that is *orn out of lo%e .
2o%e as *ene%olence
<o)e is the ma"imi=ation of the possi*ilities of the person through a sin#ere gift of self. 7n real lo)e= we are open to life. 7n lo)e= 7 want the other person for his own good.
'A(/(62/1.do#
7n order for the woman to be a real good for me= 7 ha)e to want her for the real good of herself. 7f 7 redu#e her to an obFe#t= it is a one&way street. 5hen 7 lea)e here in her )alue as a person= she #an respond to my lo)e.
'A(/(62/1.do#
@hastity outside of marriage is #hoosing to 9eep the garden of se2uality #losed fore)er= integrated in my total gift of myself to od. 7nside of marriage= we need to also be pure and #haste otherwise we #annot li)e in lo)e and responsibility. $hat is perception& Before a beautiful woman= we per#ei)e beauty as her )alue. *er#eption plays at a le)el of my 9nowledge. 7 be#ome aware of her )alue. $hat is an emotion& >motion is the fa#t that 7 am affe#ted by the persons beauty. >motion is thus being affe#ted by someone. The sensual le)el is often a male thing ; often men are attra#ted at a sensual le)el= whereas women are often attra#ted at an affe#ti)e le)el. (elight and integrated lo%e <et us go ba#9 to the beginning where we spea9 about pleasure and delight. (elight is a gift gi)en to us. "t Thomas says that 4dam in >)e in paradise had a bigger se2ual satisfa#tion before the fall than after. 7t is interesting that married people who ha)e a #on)ersion and understand their real identity and the tea#hing of the Ihur#hC their pleasure is greater than before. $hen you finally integrate e%erything and #ome to a sin#ere gift of self in the #onte2t of #harity= od ma9es our gift perfe#t. He heals what is bro9en in lo)eC he ma9es perfe#t our imperfe#t lo)e. 5hen you start to dis#o)er this= you get a 9ind of delight that is li9e hea)en on earth. 7t is #lose to a mysti#al e2perien#e of gi)ing. This delight is a foretaste of the final fulfillment that we will ha)e in hea)en ; the feeling of being one= united.
'uestions
/hat about couples that cannot ha)e children0
There is nothing wrong with infertility. 7t is a big suffering for #ouples. 0or e2ample= Baudoin and 0abiola= the royal family of Belgium= #ould not ha)e #hildren. They loo9ed for other ways of ma9ing their lo)e fertile. They #an still ha)e se2ual relationships= be#ause it is a sin#ere gift of self. 7f 7 ha)e understood well= a #ouple is medi#ally said to be infertile if for two years= the #ouple has had se2ual relationships without being able to ha)e #hildren.
.n the Bible+ 7dam felt lonely+ so God created 8)e9 :ow did we all come from 7dam and 8)e0
This shows that the story of enesis is a symboli# story. This does not mean that it is not true. 5hat is important is the symboli# le)el. <i9ewise= if Jesus spea9s in parables= through an in)ented story= he #an tell a truth. This is what happens in enesis. 5e #an belie)e that what is said there #orresponds to ods plan for man= not that the s#ientifi# details are absolute.
'A(/(62/1.do#
"o we do not 9now anything s#ientifi# about the beginning of man 9ind from the Bible. 5e do 9now the truth about man. 7f we are #onfronted by other people on this subFe#t= we #an do as John *aul 77. He does not base his refle#tion on s#ripture= but on the e2perien#e of human life.
/hen God created man and women+ he commanded them not to eat of the fruit of the tree and to fulfill the earth0 :ow could they ha)e fulfilled the earth if there was not fall0
0rom the beginning= there was se2uality. 7t already wor9ed before the fall. That is why "t Thomas says that there were not temptations to redu#e the other to an obFe#t before the fall. 7t is true that they did not ha)e 9ids before the fall.
7re the years that seminarians do not see any women ; families really good for them0
*ersonal opinion ; not re#orded. gFputmansNhotmail.#om
'A(/(62/1.do#