Reflection on August 29, 1984

https://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/jp2tb119.htm

Seeing the cycle of fertility in women that God gave them is such an easy next step when you have traveled on the journey that we have through Theology of the Body. Everything that we are in our masculinity and femininity are given to us by God to be a sign for us, to educate us, to teach us about ourselves and God. The fact that we are male and female, the fact that we are physically attracted, the fact that this conjugal union if fruitful, are all characteristics that have meaning here but also point to something greater in a spiritual sense. If these were all given as a gift to us by God, why isn’t it so obvious that He gives us a way to express this union in a way that will not produce children every time? God understood fully that the need for this union is powerful but also that there will be times when having children will be too much for a couple. He installed in the woman a method to allow for infertile time periods to allow for the conjugal union outside of its child bearing.

But, He also is giving us the opportunity to learn control, to cherish the “gift” aspect of ourselves and the other. We are not to misuse the conjugal act outside its purpose as a sign of union and prophetic message of Christ unity with the Church. Being open to life, even if you are following the method and have good reasons to believe you should not have a child, is a basic requirement to entering into a conjugal union. Artificial contraception, homosexual acts, abortion, all are totally at odds with the understanding that participation in the conjugal act is an openness to life. Those 3 and the acceptance of sex outside of marriage only feed on each other and build each other up in a larger and larger wall separating us from God’s True purpose for the conjugal act.