30 12 / 2010
Picture perfect pt. 3
Excerpts from Theology of His/Her Body by Jason Evert (for my brothers)
We are called to make sacrifices for the good of others, and not to sacrifice others selfishly for our own good.
When a man gazes upon a woman’s body, does he see his invitation to truly love her, or is he immediately tempted to use her? Does he see her as a reflection of heaven or a distraction from it? His problem is not the beauty of the woman’s body. His problem is that he must re-learn how to look at her - and not merely “look” at her, but see her as God created her to be.
… Christ repeatedly referred to Himself as the bridegroom. St. Paul exclaimed that the one-flesh union of a husband and wife is a great mystery as it relates to Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:31-32).
It is only through purification and discipline that a man will experience the fullness of what erotic love is intended to be. In the words of Christopher West, “Purity doesn’t annihilate erotic desire, it perfects it.”
… never be shamed into thinking that you are bad for having strong sexual desires. This is part of who God created you to be as a man… However, your task as a man is to order these desires according to the demands of authentic love.
When a man truly loves a woman, it does not mean that he ceases to be fascinated by her or that he lacks sexual desire. Rather, he integrates the desire for her with the desire to do what is best for her. In other words, he unites eros (desire) and agape (sacrficial love).
The yearning within your body to unite with feminine beauty is a reminder that your soul longs for the beauty of heaven.
We should not engage in the act that creates a family until we are prepared to bear the responsibility for one.
We initiate the gift, but the woman’s body becomes a tabernacle of life. The miracle of conception occures within her.
If God chose to reveal Himself as “Father,” you can be certain that the devil will use every weapon in his arsenal to tarnish the earthly image of fatherhood. Our job is to reverse this cultural plague and restore His likeness on earth (all men are called to be fathers in one shape or form: earthly fathers, priests, or to play a fatherly role in single blessedness towards the development of others).
My prayers are with you!
