"Good news about sex"

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Here are my notes from last night's discussion, "Good News About Sex":


Intro:
How can a celibate priest give a talk about sex?
Same question as, ‘How could Jesus talk about sex?’

-I and any priest re-present Christ’s teaching (God’s revelation about sex)
What did Jesus teach about sex?
- reaffirmed what was taught in the beginning, for one
- Matt 19: 5 (sex within the context of marriage)
- “in the beginning”…what does that mean?


I. Sex is beautiful

One of the first things God reveals to us is the beautiful gift of sex:
Gen 1: 28 – “Be fertile and multiply”
Gen 2: 24 – husband and wife “become one body (flesh)”

- Yahweh is speaking about marriage in Genesis, and to the first married couple(Adam and Eve)
-it is God’s command for them to have sex so that they will become oneflesh (union) and multiply (procreate)
-if it is from God it must be good, true, beautiful, glorious, wonderful (these are all qualities of God)
- The gift of sex is meant for us to understand what love is: the love between spouses + God’s love

- (example of engaged couple)

- “Good news about sex and marriage” ("Good News about Sex and Marriage", West, p.20): Sex expresses marital love

- So, God has given us sex for these two reasons: union and procreation
- where is pleasure in all of this? not there

- God has made the sexual act very pleasurable so that married persons
will do it!
- so they multiply (we need sex to survive as a race)
- those things we need to survive are pleasurable: eating, drinking, sleeping, e.g.
- but need to do it in right context and with moderation
- pleasure is not to be the focus

- any reason outside of union and procreation is not what God intends for sex
-unmarried persons can’t enter into one-flesh union; haven’t promised themselves to the other
-couples not open to life can’t be fertile and multiply; artificial contraception is from man, not God
-‘for pleasure only’ is an abuse of the gift of sex; selfish; focuses on what I get, not what I give


II. Sex is holy
- first of all, what is holiness?
- not just praying or being in Church
- holiness = otherness (living for God and others)
- second, how can sex be holy?
- within the marital act

1) husband and wife imitate God the Creator
Union:“the union of man and woman in marriage is a way of imitating in the flesh the Creator’s generosity and fecundity” (CCC, #2335)... fecundity = fruitfulness

Procreation:Continuing God’s work of creation
- they are co-creators with God!

2) husband and wife imitate the life of the Holy Trinity
- (example of married couple)

- West, pp. 19-20

- when the couple gives themselves completely to the other in the sexual
act, they are acting in love
- love = gift of self
- God is love, and He gives himself completely
- so, sex is a way to imitate God in a very deep and powerful way
- worshiping God through our bodies
- holiness through our bodies
- marital act = sacramental

- bedroom of a married couple is analogous to a Church
sanctuary just like marital love is analogous to the Eucharist
- Eucharist = union b/w God and man
- marital love = union b/w spouses

III. Sex is pure

All are called to live sexuality as God intends – in a pure way

All (married, religious, single) are called to live chastity


What is chastity and how do we live it?
- chastity is sexual purity

5 ways to live it
1) Pray
2) Sacraments
3) Custody of the eyes
4) Use reason to control sexual desires
5) Read lives of saints / examples of living virtues


How important is chastity?
St Maria Goretti - martyred at age 11 for her commitment to chastity

Christ: Mk 7 (unchastity is among the most serious sins)

St Paul: Eph 5:22 (chastity is 1 of 12 fruits of Holy Spirit)
Vs.
Eph 5:21 (those who live impurity…”will not inherit the kingdom of God”)


IV. Sex is good
a) Living sexuality the way God intends leads to:

Joy, happiness, peace, freedom

b) Impure thoughts and actions: “slavery” to sin

c) example of someone who is living chastity after many years of unchastity

Freedom v. slavery
Happiness v. sadness
Peace v. anxiety

d) I am a priest largely b/c of freedom of chastity:
-fervent prayer to the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary for chastity
-daily prayer as priest

e) All should pray and fast for chastity
Fasting – great way to control desires (small matters---> big matters)
- practices / disciplines of saints

Pray:
Priests: at Mass, especially
Married – for self and spouse
Single – pray for self (at Mass, etc.)
- and for future spouse to be living chastity