ABEng.Com FCG Blog
Friday, January 19, 2007
CG2 - CCG Theology of the Body
CG2
For all those who couldn't make it for the CCG on wed this week or needs a refresher, here is a summary of what it was about. It was a very good session and very inspiring. Now i feel inspired to be a good husband. Haha.
We talked about how the union of a husband and wife through sex is seen as a sacred act that God has given us with reference to the Eucharist. During the Eucharistic celebration, we hear the phrase "this is my body, given up for you" and similarly during consumation, the husband and wife give their body freely to each other, with trust and respect for each other. Thus it is seen that there is a nuptial meaning to Jesus dying on the cross for us also when he says "This is my body given up for you" and it is like Jesus's marriage to us. This is the sanctity of sex as it links to the Eucharist. Jesus is also seen as the husband and the Church as the wife. As Jesus has come down from heaven to serve his bride by laying down his life for the Church, husbands have the duty too to look after and protect his wife to the point of laying down his life. Women are also called to be vessels of love to receive love from her husbands.
Next we touched on the human body being the expression of the spirit and the image of God in man. There is a divine link between the mystery of the Trinity with the communion of persons in marriage. During sex, a couple come together as one and the possiblity of caring another in the womb which makes 3 in 1. Like the trinity.
We also touched on sex being a gift and freely given with love to a spouse. When man has a bondage to sex (addiction), sex is no longer a gift of love but rather a gift for self satisfaction. This bondage or lust, is due to original sin rendering Adam and Eve to be no longer naked without shame when they ate the forbidden fruit in Eden. Lust can be devastating to us when we subject ourselves to pornography or over dependence on romance novels for emotional support. This is as when we get married and impose the ideals of the perfect sexual experience or the perfect emotional reliance from our previous encounters through pornography or romance novels, we treat our spouses more like objects for selfish gratification rather than mutual love.
Religious who practice celibacy are people who do not get married her on Earth to remain in solitude before God. They are people who anticipate the marriage in heaven.
Next we talked about the use of contraceptives. Sex is a declaration of God's love. A total self-giving love. When we use contraceptives, it is a lie of the body in not total self giving to each other as we are holding something back. Total self-giving is the rejection of nothing with each other. When we reject each other's fluids, it is also rejecting God the giver of life. The rhythm method is more acceptable as there is no violation of the sanctity of sex. The integrity of the act is respected. However it must be noted that the rhythm method should not be done for selfish reasons. Reasons such as "I would like less children so that I may go for more holidays". The rhythm method should be employed when couples feel that they are doing so so that they can provide better for the family or if the wife has an illness which would make pregnancy dangerous. In any case, the spouse should not be made replaceable by using contraceptives (sex as an act of only mutual satisfaction) or just for the sake of having a baby. Sex is an act of love!
To sum off, if man understands sex, it will bring us closer to God. A reason why the evil one attacks us in this area. And we as man are in no position to decide if contraceptives are to be used or not. In Eden is the tree of wisdom between good and evil. When God made Adam and told him not to eat it, God is telling man that he is not able to decide between good and evil.
And if you just want a super summary, Eros is made to transform to Agape!
This is a pretty long entry but I hope it gives you a better view of sexual love and its relation to God. Hope you are inspired too! For any other questions of sexual love, do approach any CGLs or better still tag it in the window below! See you for the next CG!
Yours truly,
Dan Tan
God Bless!
For all those who couldn't make it for the CCG on wed this week or needs a refresher, here is a summary of what it was about. It was a very good session and very inspiring. Now i feel inspired to be a good husband. Haha.
We talked about how the union of a husband and wife through sex is seen as a sacred act that God has given us with reference to the Eucharist. During the Eucharistic celebration, we hear the phrase "this is my body, given up for you" and similarly during consumation, the husband and wife give their body freely to each other, with trust and respect for each other. Thus it is seen that there is a nuptial meaning to Jesus dying on the cross for us also when he says "This is my body given up for you" and it is like Jesus's marriage to us. This is the sanctity of sex as it links to the Eucharist. Jesus is also seen as the husband and the Church as the wife. As Jesus has come down from heaven to serve his bride by laying down his life for the Church, husbands have the duty too to look after and protect his wife to the point of laying down his life. Women are also called to be vessels of love to receive love from her husbands.
Next we touched on the human body being the expression of the spirit and the image of God in man. There is a divine link between the mystery of the Trinity with the communion of persons in marriage. During sex, a couple come together as one and the possiblity of caring another in the womb which makes 3 in 1. Like the trinity.
We also touched on sex being a gift and freely given with love to a spouse. When man has a bondage to sex (addiction), sex is no longer a gift of love but rather a gift for self satisfaction. This bondage or lust, is due to original sin rendering Adam and Eve to be no longer naked without shame when they ate the forbidden fruit in Eden. Lust can be devastating to us when we subject ourselves to pornography or over dependence on romance novels for emotional support. This is as when we get married and impose the ideals of the perfect sexual experience or the perfect emotional reliance from our previous encounters through pornography or romance novels, we treat our spouses more like objects for selfish gratification rather than mutual love.
Religious who practice celibacy are people who do not get married her on Earth to remain in solitude before God. They are people who anticipate the marriage in heaven.
Next we talked about the use of contraceptives. Sex is a declaration of God's love. A total self-giving love. When we use contraceptives, it is a lie of the body in not total self giving to each other as we are holding something back. Total self-giving is the rejection of nothing with each other. When we reject each other's fluids, it is also rejecting God the giver of life. The rhythm method is more acceptable as there is no violation of the sanctity of sex. The integrity of the act is respected. However it must be noted that the rhythm method should not be done for selfish reasons. Reasons such as "I would like less children so that I may go for more holidays". The rhythm method should be employed when couples feel that they are doing so so that they can provide better for the family or if the wife has an illness which would make pregnancy dangerous. In any case, the spouse should not be made replaceable by using contraceptives (sex as an act of only mutual satisfaction) or just for the sake of having a baby. Sex is an act of love!
To sum off, if man understands sex, it will bring us closer to God. A reason why the evil one attacks us in this area. And we as man are in no position to decide if contraceptives are to be used or not. In Eden is the tree of wisdom between good and evil. When God made Adam and told him not to eat it, God is telling man that he is not able to decide between good and evil.
And if you just want a super summary, Eros is made to transform to Agape!
This is a pretty long entry but I hope it gives you a better view of sexual love and its relation to God. Hope you are inspired too! For any other questions of sexual love, do approach any CGLs or better still tag it in the window below! See you for the next CG!
Yours truly,
Dan Tan
God Bless!
posted by ABEng.Com at 3:09 AM
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