The Sacredness of Sexuality

There is an interesting discussion going on that you may have caught wind of…

Christopher West has done wonderful, God-ordained work in “translating” John Paul IIs Theology of the Body to make it more understandable for the less… theologically-inclined… among us. The Theology of the Body truly has been one of the Holy Spirit’s greatest gifts to Christians in this age, presenting an integrated vision of the human person–body, soul, and spirit–and showing how the physical human body has a specific meaning and reveals answers regarding fundamental questions about us and our lives. It’s also a highly challenging read, and Christopher West provides a helpful, exciting annotation and explanation of it.

However, I’ll admit to being scandalized by the vulgarity with which sexuality–specifically sex–is discussed, and by the intimate explanation of the excitement of the marital act. I don’t think I’m a prude, but Catholic formation has sensitized me to the sacredness and wholeness of human sexuality and has instilled a modesty and reverence for the entire sphere. Also, I’m adult enough to know that chastity is the hardest personal battle that many Christians face today.

My husband and I laughingly recall attending a Christopher West presentation with a good female friend of ours who was engaged at the time of the presentation. Her first comment when we exited the room after the presentation was something to the effect of: “I’m leaving to go take a cold shower, because I’m a living, breathing near occasion of sin for my fiance right now.”

There’s GREAT value in conveying the excitement that we should feel to participate in God’s divine plan through our bodies, especially when we’re seeking to appeal to those who never have heard this good news. But there’s equally great value in discretion and modesty, in guarding the purity of our minds and hearts and imaginations. What a challenge for all of us to strike this balance in our sexually-charged culture, and a worthy prayer intention: to be able to show the world both the beauty and the sacredness of God’s design for human sexuality.