Historical Man FallenHistorical Man Fallen

According to tradition, our Lord promised St. Gertrude that 1000 souls would be released from purgatory each time it is

said devoutly.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in

union with the masses said throughout the world today,

for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners

everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within

my family. Amen.

ROMANCE WITHOUT REGRETROMANCE WITHOUT REGRETJason and Crystalina EvertJason and Crystalina Evert

  Write a review of Romance Without Regret addressing the following major points:

 How do I find real love?How far is too far?What’s the point of modesty?What’s wrong with pornography?What am I supposed to do about temptations? If I fall, how do I start over and regain purity?Others:Your own reflection:Recommendation: _____________ /

JenniferJenniferLawrenceLawrence

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2014/10/07/jennifer-lawrence-anyone-who-looked-at-nude-pics-perpetuating-sexual-offense/

She continued, “I started to write an

apology, but I don’t have anything to say

I’m sorry for. I was in a loving, healthy, great relationship for four

years. It was long distance, and either

your boyfriend is going to look at porn or he’s going to look at you.”

““Chesterton’s Marriage Chesterton’s Marriage Proposal”Proposal”

“But there are four lamps of thanksgiving always before him. The first is for his creation out of the same earth with such a woman as you. The second is that he has not, with all his faults, ‘gone after strange women.’ You cannot think how a man’s self-restraint is rewarded in this. The third is that he has tried to love everything alive: a dim preparation for loving you. And the fourth is – but no words can express that. Here ends my previous existence. Take it: it led me to you.” – G. K. Chesterton –

CRUCIFIXION TYPE OF LOVECRUCIFIXION TYPE OF LOVE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E9doP6EtHk&list=PL0C456E2F42E195E3

TimelineTimeline

Creation FallOrig. Sin

OriginalMan

End of TimeComing of Christ

Historical Man

Fallen Redeemed

Eschatological Man

Three original experiencesThree original experiencesOriginal solitude

◦“It is not good for the man to be alone”

Original unity◦“At last this is bone of my bones and

flesh of my flesh!” “and the two become one body”

Original Nakedness◦“and they were naked but not

ashamed”

Things are lookin’ goodThings are lookin’ goodUp to this point everything seems

to be going alright◦Adam and Eve are living out God’s

plan for love◦Man is in right relationship with God,

himself and creation

Then, we have a problem…◦Enter Satan

TEMPTATIONTEMPTATIONSatan tempts Adam and Eve to not trust

God◦Challenges them to eat of the Tree of the

Knowledge of Good and Evil, which represents false independence

◦An attempt to be self-sufficient without GodThey forget that they are SON and

DAUGHTER!◦They forget the relationship of sonship and by

their actions show that they don’t trust God.This lack of trust brings a lack of security.

◦Man begins to grasp, trying to be his own god.

Filial Relationship Filial Relationship DamagedDamagedOriginal Filial Relationship:

GOD

Man

Gift-Active receptivity-Entrustment-Obedience

Adam and Eve stop receiving God’s gift as Father

This damages their filial relationship with Him

Which causes Adam and Eve to turn in on themselves

Real FreedomReal FreedomDependence on God is not a

limitation◦Today dependence on anything is seen

as a bad thing We’re supposed to be independent and strong And yes, dependence on some things isn’t

healthy – drugs, alcohol, etc. ◦But the fact of the matter is that we

need other people – and we especially need GOD!

◦Our relationship with God and accepting His Love as Father allow us to transcend ourselves and become who we are called to be. To live a supernatural life: i.e., Blessed Mother

Teresa of Calcutta, Dorothy Day, etc.

TRUE LOVE = Goods of MarriageTRUE LOVE = Goods of Marriage Free: God’s love is freely given to us. Total: God’s love is complete and He gives

all of Himself to us, withholding nothing. Faithfulness: God never abandons us and

never stops loving us. Fruitfulness: god’s love brings us life. Jesus

died for us so that we could have new life. Love is to will the good of the other, or to

be a total gift of self to another If we reject one of these goods, we are not

being a total gift and we are not willing what is good for the other.

Some results of the Fall…Some results of the Fall…Darkened intellect, bodily suffering and

death, and concupiscence (inclination to sin)

Man is impaired in his ability to enter into the world of his beloved (on account of self-centeredness)◦Shame enters in (Gen. 3:7-11)

Couples are impaired in their ability to radiate God’s love◦At times it’s harder for children to see God’s

love through their parentsMan has an urge to be the center of the

universe without recognizing the gifts he has received from God.

Woman and Man…just not the Woman and Man…just not the same…same…Because our relationship with God

impacts everything, Adam and Eve’s relationship with each other is impacted.

Man Woman

Man and woman become self-centered and turn in on themselves

It’s not so easy today to live out God’s plan for love.

Original SinOriginal Sin “questioning the gift” Man denies that God is love When God is evicted from the heart

(the heart is un-inspired) it gives birth to lust

Lust is sexual desire devoid of God’s love

Shame rises in the heart because man realizes that his body has ceased to draw from the power of the spirit.

Consequences of SinConsequences of Sin Shame—rupture within the human

being Romans 7:18-19

Fear—rupture between man and God Gen 3:8-11

Conflict—rupture in human relationships Gen 3:12-13

Labor—rupture between man and the world

Gen 3:16-17 Death

Gen 3:22-24

ShameShame “Then the eyes of both were opened,

and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves clothes.”

“Shame enters for the first time when man realizes that his body has ceased drawing upon the power of the spirit, which raised him to the level of the image of God.” (TB 115)

Now the heart tends to lust—treating the other as an object created for “my sake”

3 Kinds of Shame3 Kinds of Shame Cosmic—related to all creation

Harmony with creation is disrupted Immanent—within oneself

Harmony within is disrupted (virginal value of the body is ruptured) i.e.: battle of flesh vs. spirit

Flipside of original solitude Relative—in relation to the “other”

Harmony with spouse is disrupted Flipside of original unity and nakedness

Conflict

What once enabled communion, now seems to impede communion

Male tendency to dominate and control seems to place the woman at an apparent disadvantage

No longer communion of persons but confrontation of persons.

ProblemsProblemsSexual activity is increasingly

disconnected from marriage or even monogamous relationship that requires commitment

People want maximum freedom from commitment and responsibility

People know that sex without love is meaningless, but it is fun!

Hooking up culture

ResearchResearch• Duke research (2002-2003): “Students rarely go on formal

dates, but instead attend parties in large groups, followed by ‘hook-ups’- unplanned sexual encounters fueled by alcohol.”

• Survey at College of New Jersey: 4 out of 5 students had ‘hooked up’

• Half said they stared their evening planning to have some form of sex, but with not particular person in mind

• 57% of U.S. kids living with less that two parents• James Madison and University of Wisconsin about the same• 2005 CDC study on High School students:–50% of students 12-17 had oral sex, and–70% of 18-19 year olds have had oral sex• 37 % of births to unwed mothers in US• more than 50% of marriages fall apart

WHY???WHY???Main goal is to have maximum pleasure and

minimum painEgoism: This attitude leads to selfishness =

egoismEven if I try to obtain maximum pleasure for

someone else, if I cease to experience pleasure then I would no longer be under the obligation to provide for the other. E.g. Marriages end saying, “We don’t love each other anymore”

Effect of Egoism◦ Reduces person to level of a tool◦ Causes us to use others◦ Leads to lack of commitment and willingness to sacrifice◦ E.g. Pornography

Penetrating the Heart: The ethos of Penetrating the Heart: The ethos of redemptionredemption

Christ says “looking lustfully” equals “adultery in the heart” ~ “He who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Mt. 5:27-28

The “ethos of redemption”◦Following external rules is not enough◦We must penetrate to the heart conversion of

heart◦Christ calls us to go beyond the demands of the

law out of genuine love for the truth.◦The “heart” defines our humanity from within

The seat of moral personality Where we come to know and live the true nuptial

meaning of the body or fail to do so. The battlefield between love and lust.

Preparing for the ethos of the giftWisdom literature advises us to avoid indulging in

carnal concupiscence, but it does not change ethos.

Ethos is changed with the coming of Christ.Before the ethos can change we must “look away” What’s wrong with looking? Don’t read the menu if you’re not going to order! A “look” determines the intentionality of our

existence. Looking with lust denies

◦ the gift of God’s love ◦ the gift of the other ◦ the gift of life itself.

Temptation vs. Sin Temptation vs. Sin What about my wife? Marriage does not justify lust! It is possible to look at one’s spouse as an object, as

property, and to deny the gift. To overcome lust, we must attain purity of heart and

open ourselves to receive it as a gift of grace flowing from Christ’s death and resurrection.

“Struggling against concupiscence helps us enter into the paschal mystery The Cross

Christ calls us to a real and deep victory over lust◦purity must mature from the “negative” which is

“turning away” to the “positive” which is assertion of the value and dignity of the body and sex.

But there’s hope!But there’s hope!Lust has not completely suffocated the

nuptial meaning of the body, but only habitually threatened it.

Lust is not the final word. We are not totally depraved We can reclaim self-mastery Who is responsible to maintain the

balance? ◦Man seems to have a particular responsibility

Christ calls us to redemption (ethos of redemption)

But there’s hope!But there’s hope!After the Fall God wishes to restore a clear

picture of His Fatherhood in the world◦We’ll see this throughout salvation history

His plan to heal our brokenness culminates in the Incarnation of Christ◦ Jesus is the Father’s supreme gift to us

He is all the Father can give – He is God, He is Everything!

◦ Jesus comes to reconnect: Original Solitude – restores our unique filial relationship to

the Father Original Unity – restores the union of man and woman Original Nakedness – aided by grace, we are able to see

each other as persons.

Livin’ in the ChurchLivin’ in the ChurchThrough baptism we are inserted

into the ChurchChrist restores right relationship, but

goes a step further by giving us a share in divine life◦In a certain way we are raised above where

Adam and Eve were “O happy fault…”◦We participate in the Divine Life of the Trinity◦BUT we have to freely choose to accept this

gift… And concupiscence remains… So how do we deal with it?

Restoration in ChristRestoration in ChristChrist restores us to life through His

Passion, Death, and Resurrection, whose power for salvation is communicated through His Church that He founded◦The Church exists for our salvation – so

we can be saved!◦Back to our trusty diagram

GraceChrist Church

Fruitfulness

Gift

Receptivity

Christ gives Himself completely to His Church, pouring out His life

The Church actively receives this gift

The result of this relationship is grace

ErosErosErotic phenomena—those mutual actions

and ways of behaving through which man and woman approach each other and unite so as to be “one flesh” romantic love

Eros of the original unity of man and woman

After the Fall: Eros can lead to lustWhere Eros and Ethos meet in the human

heart they bear fruit in purity

Eros and EthosEros and EthosThe erotic and the ethical do not differ

from each otherThey are called to meet in the human

heartEros must be redeemed, transformed,

sanctified—never snuffed outThrough purification the erotic becomes

true, good, beautiful

Lust vs genuine loveLust vs genuine loveEroticism: Eros that burns and

consumes us.Redeemed Eros—like the burning

bush on Mount Sinai burns but does not consume

Example:

The ecstasy of St. Teresa of The ecstasy of St. Teresa of AvilaAvilaby Berniniby Bernini

Christ comes to liberateChrist’s words do not condemn,

they liberate us.◦Example: Quadriplegic example.

When he calls us to purity—he enables us to be pure

Like a “guardian who watches over a hidden spring” we are called to discern the deep impulses of our hearts◦Virtuous:

Prayerful Well-formed conscience

Our goal: to draw forth what is fitting for the dignity of the gift and communion of persons.

Does not stifle Eros, but affords a mature spontaneity and noble gratification

The power of graceThe power of grace

Christ

Church

Cross ReceptivityGrace

Pure of HeartPure of Heart“Blessed are the pure of heart,

for they shall see GodThe Pure see the body as making

visible God’s mystery

The battleThe battleSt Paul describes the battle

between the flesh and the spiritThe flesh—refers to the man of

lustWe must authentically move

from the “red” to the “blue”Purity is not halfway between

promiscuity and prudishness.

M WC

M WC

This movement happens by This movement happens by justificationjustificationJustification is not only the remission

of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man

It is a real power at work in us to free us from the bonds of sin and lust.

We experience purity of heart to the measure that we experience the “freedom for which Christ has set us free.

True FreedomTrue FreedomFreedom to sin is the “flip side” of

freedom to loveIf we seek to get rid of sin by getting

rid of our freedom to commit it, we also sacrifice our freedom to love.

Freedom is negated when it becomes a pretext for “indulgence”

Not freedom but slavery to our passions

The VirtuesThe VirtuesThe virtues are important because

they teach us to control our bodies “in holiness and honor”

Temperance—turning from temptations

Fortitude—the ability to endure and persevere in temperance

Prudence—making proper choices to avoid occasions of sin

Justice—giving another their due

Growth in purityGrowth in purity“we must be committed to a

progressive education in self control of the will, of the feelings, of the emotions; and this education must develop beginning with the most simple acts in which it is relatively easy to put the interior decision into practice.”—TB Oct 24, 1981

Authentic purityAuthentic purityThe parts of the body we think

are “less honorable deserve greater honor.”

Shame causes us to cover parts of our body

Those parts have greater honor because they reveal our call to image God in life giving communion.

““Glorify God in your Glorify God in your bodies”bodies”Purity is God’s glory radiated in

the human body. “Blessed are the pure in heart for

they shall see God.”◦Not only eschatologically = Heaven, but here and now.

To the pure all things are pureTo the corrupt and unbelieving

nothing is pure.

ArtArtPortrayal of the naked body in art

demands a special responsibility. It demands respect for the nuptial

meaning of the body, or “the nuptial system of reference”

The body can be portrayed to elicit respect for the mystery

The body can be portrayed to degrade.

Pornography reveals too little

A few things more.A few things more.Redemption of the body applies

to both human relationships and our relationship with Christ.

Theology of the Body has an impact on how we approach others, but also on how we approach and “experience” Christ in the sacraments

Christ

Church

Cross ReceptivityGrace

SacramentsSacraments

Christ

Me

Eucharist ReconciliationGrace

LiturgyLiturgy

Christ

Me

LOWReadingprayers

Response(singing)

Grace

The Church as the Bride of Christ._ Although we are united to Christ as his

Body, we are still distinct from Christ (retain individuality).

_ We are not the Second person of the Trinity.

_ This distinction shows that we have an active role in our own salvation.

_ Christ will not force himself on us._ We must actively receive the grace that

he wants to give us._ Christ has included our participation in

his salvific work.

The original covenantal relationship between man and woman is restored in

Christ._ After the fall man and woman were no

longer able to give themselves completely to one another.

_ They were unable to be a total gift of self to one another.

_ This means that they could not love as they once did.

Christ notes the original dignity that the married relationship has.

_ In the beginning it was not so, when he teaches against a divorce.

_ “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become

one flesh.”_ Christ restores the original union

between man and woman

Marriage is raised to the dignity of a sacrament.

_ The marriage relationship shares (participates) in the relationship between Christ and the Church.

_ Through grace marriage is elevated to be a sign of the unity and fruitfulness between Christ and the Church.

_ The total giving and receiving between man and woman shows forth the love between Christ and the Church.

The meaning of subordination (being subject)._ Controlling verse is the first, “be subject to

one another”_ This does not mean slavery._ Subordination means that there is a proper

ordering in the marriage._ The masculine and feminine ‘roles’ are

different, (one is not inferior to the other)._ Men and women are different, but have

equal dignity._ Secondary sexual characteristics (arms,

hips, tone of voice, personality)

Role of the wife.

_ The wife is to be subordinate to the husband as the Church is to Christ.

_ This means that the wife’s role is receptivity in the image of the Church.

_ The Church freely and actively receives the gift of Christ.

_ Receptivity does not mean inferiority

Role of the Husband

Role of the Husband_ To image the self-giving love of Christ_ To give himself completely unto death for his

wife._ To serve his wife.