By Mark Lee
Holy Mother Church is truly blessed with saints like Pope Saint John Paul II (JPII). Among the many legacies our blessed pope left behind, his deep reflection on God’s designs for the person, the designs of divine love for human love, known as the Theology of Body (TOB), is one of my favourites.
We attended a two-day TOB faith formation programme intended primarily for catechists at the Good Shepherd Seminary in Melaka last month. This programme was conducted by a a group of young adults from The Communion-TOB Malaysia, in response to an invitation from Fr Simon Yong, SJ, the Head of Catechetical Commission of the Melaka-Johor Diocese. The programme was based on Christopher West’s “Introduction to the Theology of the Body”, which is an 8 part series of The Gift, a video presentation that covers the key aspects of this teaching. A majority of the catechists were hearing this for the first time and a significant number had shown considerable interest in this teaching. They found it not only fascinating but challenging as well. This was especially evident during the group discussions that were held after each session.
The programme began with a brief introduction, intended to give the participants a bird’s eye view of the TOB. Comprising of 129 General Audiences between the years 1979 to 1984, the TOB is a rich biblical reflection on what it means to be a human person, and the meaning of human love, the love between man and woman.
JPII tells us that “The body, in fact, and it alone, is capable of making visible what is invisible: the spiritual and divine. It was created to transfer into the visible reality of the world, the mystery hidden since time immemorial in God, and thus to be a sign of it” (TOB, 19:4). In essence, this teaching is a testament to the sacramental nature of the human body that is capable of “making visible” the “spiritual and divine”.
man and woman are created and destined to share in ‘an exchange of life-giving love’ just as God himself is an exchange of love-a Trinity of Persons
The TOB unwraps God’s plan for mankind as intended from “the beginning” by drawing upon the passages in Genesis to understand man’s original experiences before the fall. Both man and woman are created and destined to share in “an exchange of life-giving love” just as God himself is an exchange of love-a Trinity of Persons. We can see this call to love stamped in our bodies, in the difference and complementarity of the sexes- both male and female. Our bodies are meant to be “sacramental”, pointing to our call to love and to be loved. As human persons, we are called to be gifts to others, and this called is stamped in the very design of our bodies as male and female. Unfortunately, this vision of authentic love was twisted after Original Sin, so that man and woman no longer looked at each other with the purity of the internal gaze, but instead responded to each other with lust. Instead of being a gift of self, man and woman now turn against each other to use the other, to treat the other as an object of distorted desire instead of upholding and affirming each other.
Is there hope for humanity? We turn to the Scriptures where Christ makes an appeal to the heart of man: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:27-28). In this we hear the decisive invitation of Christ to rediscover our origins as we journey into eternity. Christ invites man to the rediscovery of the value of the gift, to restore the dignity with which both man and woman viewed themselves and each other from the beginning.
Jesus, through the Incarnation, came to redeem mankind, that we may be free from the bonds of lust. By dying on the Cross, Christ demonstrated the ultimate act of love and set an example for us to love freely, totally, faithfully and fruitfully.
The programme then moved on to the sacramentality of the marital union and celibacy for the kingdom, the former as a foretaste of the heavenly banquet, the latter as a sign that heaven is a reality.
As a catechist, the weekend programme has enabled me to discover the beauty and truth of my own body and the very nature of human love as expressed in the conjugal act.
It has given me a new pair of lenses to look through the timeless teachings of Holy Mother Church on the topics of love and sexuality in a way that makes sense to the next generation of Christians.
There are serious challenges in imparting our Catholic faith and reason to the young and old alike, especially on the issues of Christian morality which has been undermined. Generally, when faced with questions regarding our identity, shallow conclusions and indecisive answers are given. In fact, the prevailing distorted view is that one can discover who he really is only when he is “free” from the moulds of parents, society, religion, or even his own body.
While in search for meaning and purpose, it is perhaps not surprising that many young people are attracted to the lure of a dictatorship of relativism, that is, “do as you please” rather than “do the right thing”. It is not difficult to see how making moral decisions based on feelings and personal preferences can lead to disaster. This, in fact, has led many young people into despair and loneliness which deprives them of a reason for hope. It makes it difficult for them to love authentically. Pope Benedict XVI once echoed such words: “a spiritual desert is spreading; an interior emptiness, an unnamed fear, a quiet sense of despair”[1].
There is certainly a crisis in meaning and a poverty of purpose among the younger generation today. Many have deep longing desires in their hearts but don’t know where or how to satisfy them. People need solid answers. The TOB offers us a path that reaches not just the mind but also the heart. I believe that this teaching which is so rooted in scriptures can be the Church’s antidote to a despairing generation.
By and large, JPII’s teachings on the fundamental truth of man and women and their bodies, their sexual desires, the common union opposite sexes and the institution of marriage are often common topics among the young. By speaking about the truth of love, the goodness of the body and the meaning of sex, we can even reach those who are sceptical of religion. By openly discussing these teachings with others, we can point to the truth. Hearing these things articulated in a way that makes sense in people’s hearts can enable them to connect with such truth at a profound and enriching way.
I also believe that the message of the TOB must penetrate the human heart to be effective. This would thus require us not only to speak about it, but to live it. Only then will we come to recognise the beauty and truth of the teachings of Holy Mother Church. Our lives and not so much of our word are the true messengers of the Gospel.
Perhaps the statement by George Weigel that the TOB is “a kind of theological time bomb set to go off with dramatic consequences, …. perhaps in the twenty-first century”[2] might be prophetic in a sense. To me, the TOB is an excellent tool that can aid the young in finding Christ in their lives.
This formation was organised by the Catechetical Commission of Melaka-Johor diocese. For more details & upcoming formation sessions like these, please do get in touch with Fr Simon Yong, S.J. (kbyong@jesuits.net) or Susan Tay (taybyian@gmail.com)
References:
[1] Homily of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of the 23rd World Youth Day: http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2008/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20080720_xxiii-wyd.html
[2] George Weigel as quoted by Christopher West in his COR Project webpage: http://corproject.com/about-theology-of-the-body/
Theology of the Body 