Theology of the Body — 2011/09/30

"We began our reflections on the theology of the body with Christ's words to the Pharisees: 'Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning' (Mt. 19:8). Going back to the time of original innocence, we saw how the full truth about man is revealed in [the story of] Eden. By creating man in the image of God, precisely as male and female, God inscribed his love in the human body. Our complementary bodies, masculine and feminine, carry the sign of the gift.

"In our present reflections, taking up Jesus' teachings on lust and Paul's doctrine of purity, we considered the situation of man after the Fall. … We saw why Christ defined lust as 'adultery in the heart,' and what relevance this has for our lives today.

"What do Christ's words demand of us? That we overcome lust and seek purity … in living by the Spirit.

"… Jesus directs our attention back to the state of original innocence.… He doesn't tell us to return to the state of innocence — that is impossible. Instead, he urges us to acquire purity of heart.…[b]y opening our hearts to the Spirit, who actualizes within each Christian the redemption of the body won by Christ.

"Purity is not just abstaining from lust, but appreciating the dignity of the body. When the heart is dominated by lust, our outlook is so distorted that even our glance is sinful. With purity of heart, we come to see other persons in light of the original … meaning of the body…. This is a truth that sets us free.

"When purity is gained, we are free to experience the body — both our own and those of others — in all its fullness and joy. Through the gift of the Spirit, and by controlling our bodies in holiness and honor, we receive the gift of ourselves. Only then can we become a true gift for another person."

Italics in original; underlining added.