Curious Invitation
We have the curious invitation from Paul’s most mature work:
I beg you, in a way that is worthy of thinking beings, by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to God (Romans 12).
We are body, soul and spirit (1Thessalonians 5) – a profound unity. What we do in the body affects our inner life and vice versa.
Pope John Paul II (1978-2005) developed the Theology of the Body, which opens up Paul’s curious invitation.
We are familiar with Original Sin.
John Paul II developed three original experiences prior to Original Sin:
Original Solitude
Original Unity
Original Nakedness.
The point is this:
If we have an experience of solitude, then we will come to understand that our body is symbolic.
If we have an experience of unity, then we will come to understand that our body is spousal.
If we have an experience of nakedness, then will come to understand that our body is beautiful and free.
Naturally enough, we then understand that sex is symbolic, spousal (i.e., meant for love, not lust), beautiful and free.
What a welcome addition this is for young people bombarded with weird and degrading messages concerning human sexuality.
Amen.