Reflections on December 2, 1981

https://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/jp2tb65.htm

Being male and female have a specific purpose in our earthly life. We have gone through many of these in reflecting on the importance of experience. How we experience the world, and specifically the opposite sex, has a significant role in how we view ourselves and the world. We are only able to know what it really means to be human by our communication and understanding experiences with the opposite sex. And the obvious use of procreation requires the opposite sex. Being male or female is of vast importance in our understanding of the world. But being male and female will have different meanings and purposes after the Resurrection.

We do not become angels, sorry It’s A Wonderful Life, but we do become like angels. There is a spiritualization of our body and souls. It will put us on a higher realm than anything we can obtain here on Earth. This “higher” version of ourselves is one of the things that Catholics point to when we talk about the Saints and their intersession for us. We believe the Saints have joined God in a special way in the Heavenly banquet. Because of this, they are closer to the “like angels” stage and able to see much more than they ever could as humans. They are able to see us, hear us, and intercede for us to God. They have developed into something that is special and powerful. I don’t understand why this teaching is such a hang up for so many. If it is the idolatry aspect, that is just a misinterpretation of Catholic teaching. We do not worship Saints. We ask them to pray for us, like you would ask your friends and family to pray for you if you were sick. If you are okay asking a sinful and flawed family member to pray for you, why would you balk at asking a person that lived a Godly life and has left this world and is believed to be in the loving arms of the Beatific vision to pray for you.

I wish I knew more about Plato and Aristotle and things of that nature. I obviously skipped out on those types of lessons in college or didn’t retain any of it. When they are discussed, it just feels over my head.

Words I looked up.

Raison D’etre – Reason for Existence