Reflection on February 11, 1981

https://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/jp2tb55.htm

SJPII distinguishes between a virtue, which is discussed in this talk, and a gift. This is, as I stated earlier, one of the parts where I seem to be getting myself lost in deep water. There appear to be many nuanced distinctions between many things that I would have taken to be synonyms before reading all this. Virtue, gift, works, acts, life of the Spirit, they all seem a bit muddled in the same type of genre, but their destinations seem to matter a great deal and by not picking up on those, I feel I may be missing significant understanding. I can only hope that as we go on the distinctions will be flushed out in a more understandable way, but fair warning that the following reflection feels written by someone with a very wobbly foundation.

We are a Temple of the Holy Spirit. I think this adds a new dimension to SJPII understanding of the Theology of the Body. We have seen his arguments about why we are unique and special, made that way by God, what we learn from experience and why it is important to reach back for pure experiences, authentic subjectivity. But, and I think on purpose, that entire explanation, although it relies on the revelation of God through the creation narrative and Christ words, did not deal with the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. In a way, being the Temple of the Holy Spirit becomes a completely new premise for the reason to remain pure. I guess you could say we the “Temple” was made in such a way to be the home, but I don’t think that is necessary. The creation narratives and St. Paul’s description of us as a Temple, although both explaining the same necessity for purity and what we should be, seem to prove the same without needing each other. I think that shows the strength of SJPII earlier analysis and the importance of human purity to our lives and being human.

I was a bit, not sure the best word, confused maybe, when it was talking about the body being a Temple for the Holy Spirit applying to all of humanity. I was thinking about the Sacraments in the Catholic Tradition and how during those Sacraments, we are taught, that you receive the Holy Spirit. My education on all the Sacraments may be a bit lacking, so maybe it is that we receive the Holy Spirit in a special way during them, I just thought it was a bit odd to think everyone, even non-Christians, are a Temple of the Holy Spirit. (When you are baptized, you receive the Holy Spirit, as well as when Confirmed) It makes sense that everyone would have it if this is meant to explain a part of the Theology of the Body because the creation narrative explanations did not distinguish. SJPII explains that all human bodies become Temples of the Holy Spirit through Christ incarnation. When Christ becomes man, man (human beings) is given the gift because of their relationship in unity with Christ. They inherit that mark from God because of Christ act, because of His coming into humanity, and therefore it transforms all mankind.

Whenever I have heard “you are a Temple of the Holy Spirit”, I have always gotten the sense that it is a personal appeal, for me to act in a manner that would befit a Temple of such a great thing, of God. As I was thinking about this and trying to see every human, I wondered if this language isn’t also suitable for reflection on how we treat others. Everyone you meet and interact with is a Temple of the Holy Spirit. I recently read an article asking how any Christian can be pro-choice. This type of thinking also makes me wonder about that question. But even further than that, the way we treat our neighbors, our friends, co-workers, spouses, children, everyone is a Temple of the Holy Spirit. Imagine if you went around acting as such. Even though it is a different route, you get to a very similar reflection as we had before in trying to see the world and everything that happens through God’s eyes.