Theology of the Body, Week 2

A big theme in Theology of the Body is that being pure does not mean to build brick walls around yourself, avoiding everything and "surviving" life sex-free until marriage. We're actually working toward something. By making purity a part of your life, you're moving toward a goal of a whole self.

Today's chapter is called "Love Defined: Giving versus Using." Last time we talked about how we were created for Love and this time we went over how to give real Love.

"The person is a 'good' toward which the only proper and adequate attitude is love." -John Paul II

Ahhh what a wise man. He really had his finger on the pulse of communicating ideas. Though it is seemingly impossible to show love to people at all times, what is the alternative? If we're not giving love, we're not doing as God asks us to do. We're also completely disrespecting ourselves in the long run because we're altering our own concept of love by mistreating others.

Boy, Buttercup is a real pain in the tush, huh? She has the pretentious London accent (in Florin?) to round out her snobbery toward Wesley. However, bless his heart, Wesley treats her with patience, respect and human love.

I have NO idea how Wesley fell in love with Buttercup, but he did and she fell in love with him. I won't spoil the end for the 6 or 7 of you who haven't seen The Princess Bride, but they preserve their concepts of love for one another.

Love vs. Using

Men get a bad rap sheet for using women for sex. Sometimes, they certainly do. However, women also use men. They will give or have sex in order to get the lovey dovey, iconic "love" feelings from men. They use men to feel loved.

Love is not selfish, it is generous. Loving as goodwill for another is closest to the love with which God loves us, or agape.

Love is the greatest commandment that Jesus gave us: "Love one another, even as I have loved you" (John 13:34).

Jesus gave all of himself for us as He willed us to be with Him for eternity.