Reflection on December 16, 1981

https://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/jp2tb67.htm

We have discussed a lot about the idea of authentic subjectivity. That is the way we saw things before the fall. It is what we strive for in this worldly life. After the Resurrection, the SJPII says our subjectivity will mature into something new, a perfect subjectivity. In a mysterious way we become one with God yet we will keep all our individuality. We have no marriage then because that is our human gift of self. It is a flawed sign of God’s gift. When we are with God, His gift is perfect and our receiving is perfect. There is no need for the sign of marriage.

I was thinking about the difference between authentic and perfect subjectivity and this is what I came up with. Before the fall, there were still experiences to be had. Those experiences shaped our understanding and therefore our subjectivity. The manner in which we received those experiences was a pure and unspoiled way, so we experienced them as we were created to, thus in an authentic way. When we are united with God after the Resurrection, we will see all things in unity with them. There is no more need to experience things in order to shape our subjectivity; we will experience all things in unity with God. Therefore, our subjectivity will be perfected in union is God.

When you look at a husband and wife living out their call of full gift, you are seeing our Earthly taste of Heaven. That is the importance of marriage. That is why it is to be guarded. That is why its deterioration is so troubling. When we allow the deterioration of marriage, the image and sign we have of Heaven is deteriorated. When the sign we have of Heaven is deteriorated, we lose hope because we lose our image of Heaven, our image of the Goal, our imagination of unity with God. If you tell someone from a broken home that marriage is one of the best images of what Heaven is like, what do you think their image of Heaven is going to be, where is their hope?

This is just a thought for which I have no answer. The words absorbed, union, joined, etc, all have a meaning of adding something. But god is perfect and nothing can be added to Him or taken from Him. If there were anything to add or take, then He wasn’t perfect and hope is lost. How can we be added when being added means God is not perfect? Is it a misunderstanding of adding to? If so, what does being brought into union with God mean? Being absorbed by God? Joining God?