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Contraception and the Language of the Body — Part 3 of 6 [Open]
CatholicExchange.com ^ | July 31st, 2008 | Christopher West

Posted on 07/31/2008 6:10:23 PM PDT by Salvation

Contraception and the Language of the Body — Part 3 of 6

July 31st, 2008 by Christopher West ·Print · ShareThis

We continue our series [Part one, Part two] commemorating the 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae. Pope Paul VI released this oh-so-controversial encyclical on July 25, 1968, re-affirming the constant teaching of the Church on the immorality of contraception. To this day it remains a “thorn in the side” of many. It was once a thorn in my side as well. John Paul II’s “theology of the body” helped remove that thorn and show me the glorious fragrance of the rose.

Last time we observed that contracepted intercourse marks a determined “closing off” of the sexual act to the Holy Spirit, to the “Lord and Giver of Life.” In this way, as John Paul II expressed it, contraception falsifies “the language of the body.”

We all know that the body has a “language.” A wave of the hand says “hello” or “goodbye.” A shrug of the shoulders says, “I don’t know.” A raised fist expresses anger. What is sexual intercourse meant to express? What is its true language, its true meaning?

pills2.jpgAccording to Scripture, the sexual embrace is meant to express divine love. Precisely here, in the consummation of their sacrament, spouses are meant to participate in the “great mystery” of divine love. Whether spouses realize this or not, this is the sacramental power of their love. It’s meant to be an image and a real participation in Christ’s love for the Church (see Eph 5:31-32).

As John Paul II candidly expressed, “Through gestures and reactions, through the whole … dynamism of tension and enjoyment — whose direct source is the body in its masculinity and femininity, the body in its action and interaction — through all this man, the person, ‘speaks.’ … Precisely on the level of this ‘language of the body’ … man and woman reciprocally express themselves in the fullest and most profound way made possible for them by … their masculinity and femininity” (TOB 123:4).

But if sexual love is meant to express Christ’s love, we must properly understand the “language” of this love. Christ gives his body freely (”No one takes my life from me, I lay it down of my own accord” -Jn 10:18). He gives his body totally — without reservation, condition, or selfish calculation (”He loved them to the last” -Jn 13:1). He gives his body faithfully (”I am with you always” -Mt 28:20). And he gives his body fruitfully (”I came that they may have life” -Jn 10:10).

If men and women are to avoid the pitfalls of counterfeit love, their union must express the same free, total, faithful, fruitful love that Christ expresses. Of course, as fallen human beings, we’ll never express Christ’s love perfectly. Even so, we must commit ourselves to the life-long journey of learning how to express this love and, at a minimum, never willfully act against it. The name for this commitment is marriage.

This is precisely what a bride and groom consent to at the altar. The priest or deacon asks them: “Have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage? Do you promise to be faithful until death? Do you promise to receive children lovingly from God?” The bride and groom each say “yes.”

In turn, spouses are meant to express this same “yes” with the “language of their bodies” whenever they become one flesh. “In fact, the words themselves, ‘I take you as my wife/as my husband,’” John Paul II says, “can only be fulfilled by conjugal intercourse.” With conjugal intercourse “we pass to the reality that corresponds to these words” (TOB 103:3).

Intercourse, then, is where the words of the wedding vows become flesh. It’s where men and women are meant to incarnate divine love. It’s a fine thing when a couple returns to the church to renew their vows on a special anniversary, but this shouldn’t undermine the fact that every time a husband and wife have intercourse they’re meant to renew their wedding vows with the “language of their bodies.”

How healthy would a marriage be if spouses were regularly unfaithful to their vows? On the other hand, how healthy would a marriage be if spouses regularly renewed their vows with an ever-increasing commitment to them? If you’d prefer the latter type of marriage, you have just accepted the teaching of Humanae Vitae. In the next column, I’ll unfold why.

 

[Editor’s note: Please enjoy regular features from this and other enlightening authors discussing Catholic teaching on sexuality in CE’s Theology of the Body channel.]

This column first appeared as part of Christopher West’s Body Language series for the Catholic press (www.christopherwest.com).

Christopher West is a fellow of the Theology of the Body Institute. His books and tapes on the “theology of the body” are available from our online store.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; History; Theology
KEYWORDS: birthcontrol; catholic; catholiclist; contraception
For your information and discussion.
1 posted on 07/31/2008 6:10:23 PM PDT by Salvation
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To: klossg

Theology of the Body ping, please.


2 posted on 07/31/2008 6:10:50 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: nickcarraway; Lady In Blue; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; Catholicguy; RobbyS; markomalley; ...
Catholic Discussion Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Catholic Discussion Ping List.

3 posted on 07/31/2008 6:12:09 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Contraception and the Language of the Body — Part 3 of 6 [Open]
Does Contraception Foster Love? — Part 2 of 6 [Open]
Contraception and Cultural Chaos — Part 1 of 6 [Open]


4 posted on 07/31/2008 6:14:07 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All

Priests still suffering from effects of Humanae Vitae dissenters, Vatican cardinal says (Must read!)
"Provoking reflection" (Contrasting views on Humanae Vitae)
Humanae Vitae The Year of the Peirasmòs - 1968
Catholics to Pope: Lift the Birth Control Ban

[OPEN] The Vindication of Humanae Vitae
Catholic Clergy Challenge Colleagues to Reacquaint Themselves and Their People with Humanae Vitae
White House proposes wide "conscience clause" on abortion, contraception
THE EX CATHEDRA STATUS OF THE ENCYCLICAL "HUMANAE VITAE" [Catholic Caucus]
“A degrading poison that withers life”
Australia Study: 70 Percent of Women Seeking Abortions Used Contraception

[Fr. Thomas Euteneuer] In Persona Christi: The Priest and Contraception

A Challenging Truth, Part Two: The Day the Birth Control Died
A Challenging Truth, Part One: How Birth Control Works
Ten Challenges for the Pro-Life Movement in 2008
The concept of the "intrinsically evil"
Pope Tells Pharmacists Not to Dispense Drugs With 'Immoral Purposes'

Massive Study Finds the Pill Significantly Increases Cancer Risk if Used more than Eight Years
Birth Control Pill Creates Blood Clot Causing Death of Irish Woman
Seminarians Bring Church’s Teaching on Contraception, Sexuality to YouTube
Abortion and Contraception: Old Lies
History of Catholic teaching on Contraception

Pope: Legislation "Supporting Contraception and Abortion is Threatening the Future of Peoples"
Contraception: Why It's Wrong
On Fox News Fearless HLI Priest Takes on Sean Hannity (may be indebted for saving his soul)
VIDEO - SEAN HANNITY vs REV. THOMAS EUTENEUER (must see!)
The Early Church Fathers on Contraception - Catholic/Orthodox Caucus

Pope on divine love vs. erotic love
Conjugal Love and Procreation: God's Design
Being fruitful [Evangelicals and contraception]

5 posted on 07/31/2008 6:27:27 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation

I actually haven’t read anything of Christopher West’s other than articles on FR and in magazines. I plowed through all Pope John Paul’s lectures, though. (Composed in Polish, translated into Latin, then into French, then into English, como no?)

It’s such a huge contribution to the subject that it’s really painful when people say, “Oh, whatever, doesn’t affect me!”


6 posted on 07/31/2008 7:34:55 PM PDT by Tax-chick (Kudzu: A successful government program!)
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To: Tax-chick

I purchased Christopher West’s Theology of the Body cds. They are great!


7 posted on 07/31/2008 7:51:44 PM PDT by Jaded (shaking dust from feet...)
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To: Jaded

I wonder, though, if it wouldn’t be redundant for our family, as opposed to “Masterpieces of Ancient Greek Literature,” which includes stuff we don’t know.


8 posted on 07/31/2008 7:54:45 PM PDT by Tax-chick (Kudzu: A successful government program!)
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To: Tax-chick

Masterpieces sounds awesome.

There is a Theology of the Body for teens. I didn’t get that for my CCE class but got the Great Adventure Teen Timeline instead.


9 posted on 07/31/2008 8:43:00 PM PDT by Jaded (shaking dust from feet...)
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To: Jaded

And they really aren’t that expensive if I remember correctly.

By the way, you can get the updated “Theology of the Body’ by Pope John Paul II and Christopher West’s book “Theology of the Body Explained.”


10 posted on 07/31/2008 9:36:58 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Tax-chick

No I have attended a Christopher West video class. Outstanding for couples or the engaged.


11 posted on 07/31/2008 9:37:56 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation; Jaded

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll put it on the list for when I finish all my ancient Greek stuff.


12 posted on 08/01/2008 4:24:41 AM PDT by Tax-chick (Kudzu: A successful government program!)
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To: Jaded

I hadn’t heard of Theology of the Body for Teens.

Awesome.


13 posted on 08/01/2008 8:24:53 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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