The Catholic Church & SEX

1. The Catholic Church & SEX

2. 1) We are Sexual Creatures • Male and Female • “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27 • Made by God for relationship, to love, and be loved LIKE GOD LOVES.

3. “The greatest thing, you’ll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return!”

4. 2) There is JOY (not shame) • “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they became one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked, and were NOT ASHAMED” (Gen 2:24-25.) • It is only after the fall of Eden that everything became shadowed and distorted by sin, including SEX. • YET, we are called to that original state of a happy, healthy sexuality.

5. Before sin, eros was perfectly inspired by agape—sexual desire was nothing but the desire to love as God loves—through the sincere and total gift of self.

6. short recap…. • “Every man who knocks on the door of a brothel is looking for God.”—G.K. Chesterton • Pre-Eden: sex= giving of self, selfless love, agape. **Free will decision– to eat the apple and disconnect from God’s love** Post-Eden: sex= inverted, self-seeking, eros overpowers all-- concupiscence. Lust=sexual desire lacking God’s love.

7. 3) Sexuality Defines Relationships • We express our sexuality in all our friendships. • How we relate and act towards each other. • “A friend loves at all times.” (Proverbs 17:17) • We are relational… It’s an energy– an emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual drive to reach out to others!

8. Love of neighbor!!

9. 4) Sexuality is a Gift with Dignity… • “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. May her breasts satisfy you at all times; may you be intoxicated always by her love.” (Song of Songs 5:18-19) • Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

10. Temple of the Holy Spirit

11. …a Gift with Dignity… to be used PROPERLY! ????

12. 2 purposes of SEX (yes, intercourse) • 1) Unitive– expression of self-giving UNCONDITIONAL LOVE between a man and woman. the greatest sign of ultimate LOVE is to give your body--- ie. Jesus gave his body on the cross out of LOVE. • 2) Procreative— a true sharing in God’s work of creating life.

13. Can’t just hop in a car! Must be prepared, go through lessons etc.!

14. That’s why God gave us marriage.

15. If we don’t use His gift the way he wanted us to? stupid Adam and Eve!