Reflection on April 28, 1982

https://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/jp2tb79.htm

SJPII has gone through the explanation of continence for the kingdom and arrived at the conclusion that this choice is to be in union with God in a special way here on Earth and to give up the choice to have a spousal relationship with another person. But this spousal meaning of the body is not taken away from the person that makes this choice. That spousal meaning is still there and everything that we have learned or should learn from the experience of the spousal meaning still applies.

SJPII knows the argument against celibate religious is that humans have a sexual drive that should not be denied. But what he states is that this argument diminishes the human to that of an animal. You must go back to the beginning and see that humans and animals were completely separate and apart. Man was above animals in his rationality and given dominion over them. That was diminished in the fall, but we retain our uniqueness in our ability to be rational. Therefore, to lower the argument about celibacy to one of sexual drive is to miss the meaning of being human. It is not hard to see that a world that sees the sole purpose of relationship the fulfillment of sexual desires would miss the importance of celibate religious, but that does not mean that the point is not there. “Only in relation to such a meaning of the masculinity and femininity of the human person does the call to voluntary continence for the kingdom of heaven find a full guarantee and motivation”. Outside a clear understanding of what it means to be human, what was meant for us, what we were created for, what “in the beginning” means, continence for the kingdom will not hold any sway. It is only in light of the proper understanding of the theology of the body that we get a clearer sense not only of the spousal meaning as it pertains to marriage, but also as that meaning applies to the celibate religious.

Just as, it is hoped, two people will grasp a full understanding of the spousal meaning of the body before they are married, SJPII says that before a person makes the choice of continence for the kingdom, they must know and understand the spousal meaning of the body. What a couple is joining into and giving to each other is what a celibate religious is joining and giving up to God. Where a couple is doing it for life, a celibate religious is doing for life. We recently celebrated the ordination of a very close friend of ours. After reading these sections, it is easy to see why it was celebrated in a similar fashion to that of a wedding. Both are a commitment to a person (spouse/God) fully, freely, for life, open to the fruits that that union will bear. They both reflect all that we have learned about what the spousal meaning of the body entails and how it should be lived out. I think it is fair to say that the fall and our sin, in ways that it effects marriages in adultery, divorce, contraception, abuse, will affect the union between celibate religious and God because of our fallen nature. Just because they make the vow, have the training, are given special graces, does not mean they are less fallen than those that are married.