© 2004
St. Ann’s Singles “Relationshipology” Wrap Up Talk
Notes:
The TOB highlights that both the natural and the supernatural play a role in our sanctification. In order to make the gift of self, we must have both the natural and the supernatural in working order (as St. Thomas Aquinas said, “the supernatural builds upon the natural” as it does in the virtues… Use the example of a habitual thief who gets baptized).
Sue Bahrs: spoke about the natural wholeness (psychological, emotional) which is a prerequisite for the gift of self. This is what the Pope speaks of as self possession (explain how the Pope arrives at this notion?) (See if she would be willing to share her experience as a single person for the sake of the kingdom in the latter portion of the talk). This comes about through the natural virtues. Without them, the supernatural virtues have nothing to build on.
All people are called to marriage, but this can be lived out in two different ways. Here we come to the supernatural dimension of sanctification through the gift of self in marriage and in celibacy. This comes about through the supernatural virtues of faith, hope, and love. Without these we cannot make a gift of self and become holy.
Luis Gonzalez: spoke about the primary and universal way to make a gift of self through marriage. Marriage when entered into for the kingdom of heaven, for true love according to the four f’s which image God’s love, is a divine calling or vocation. It is a path to holiness in which we make use of our sexuality for the sake of the increase of the kingdom of heaven. Luis laid the foundation of the Church’s traditional teachings and laws regarding marriage upon which the Pope builds in writing the TOB.
Fr. Francis: spoke about the exceptional way to make a gift of self through celibacy freely chosen for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. This calling is of great importance for the kingdom of God, but it is the exception to the rule that people generally get married, thus it is referred to exceptional. This gift of self is just as much ffff (stress that it is full: a lifetime commitment; faithful: he can’t change his mind and decide to get married; free: he was not bound to choose this vocation over marriage-to abstain from sexual relations by God’s law, but he freely chose to do so in order to make a gift of his sexuality to God in a more direct manner in imitation of Christ; fruitful: By dedicating his sexuality to God directly, he becomes fruitful through his ministry to the people of God) as that of marriage to a person, thus is can be considered a marriage to God that anticipates the heavenly wedding feast.
The TOB helps us to see the crucial role of the body in our salvation (whether we are married or celibate), and thus points out the importance of having wholeness at the natural level (via counselors, psychologists, learning about the specific virutes) and at the supernatural level (via spiritual direction, sacraments) for the holiness to which we are all called by Vatican II. This wholeness is necessary to a certain extent for making a ffff gift of self and one that is ongoing afterward as we continue to grow in holiness.
In the discussion groups that follow, we will delve into the teachings of the Pope regarding what natural and supernatural wholeness and holiness entails and thus come to a better understanding of what God’s plan is for each of us as individuals and what we can to do help Him get us there.
Annie Vining can be contacted at
avining@tobet.org
The Theology of the Body Evangelization Team can be reached at
info@tobet.org
