Theology of the Body 2013/02/27

Sorry to have kept you waiting so long for more excerpts from Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body in Simple Language, by Sam Torode and published by Philokalia Books. My previous post gave excerpts from the chapter on the cycle of life, with the generation of new life and the passing on of the divine image in man as central to the nuptial meaning of the body — to the maleness and femaleness of humanity. At this point, John Paul II circles back to his starting point, the dialogue of Jesus with the Pharisees about divorce, and considers it's relevance for today in giving us a "total vision of man."

"The Pharisees asked Jesus whether a man should ever divorce his wife. They referred to the law of Moses, which made room for divorce … .

'Haven't you read,' Christ replied, 'that at the beginning the Creator "made them male and female," and said, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh"? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.' (Mt. 19:4-6)

"Then, answering the question about Moses, Jesus added:

'Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.' (Mt. 19:8)

 "To find God's intent for marriage, Christ said, we have to go back to the beginning, to the story of man's creation found in Genesis. In these reflections, we've tried to discover the meaning of this 'beginning.'

"Christians believe that the Bible is God's revealed word. And so, to learn the truth about man, the Bible is the first place we turn. There we read that each man and woman is a person created in God's image. …

"Christ's answer was directed to the Pharisees, the religious zealots of his day. But his words aren't limited to their original historical setting — they echo throughout all of history. People are still asking tough questions about divorce, and Jesus is still answering them. His words are just as fresh today as the day they were first uttered.

"Today, there are many other controversial questions surrounding marriage, sex, and the family.
     'What about sex outside of marriage?'
     'What about homosexuality?'
     'What about contraception?'
     'What about reproductive technologies?'

"They are being asked by singles, couples, and young people; and also by philosophers, scientists, and politicians.

"How would Jesus answer these questions? He wouldn't be surprised by them. If his answer to the Pharisees is any indication, he would point us all back to the beginning."