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De La Salle University-Manila

The Great Works (GREATWK)

Theology of the Body

Submitted by:
Apacible, Patrick Anthony M.

Submitted to:
Mr. Roberto Concepcion

Date Submitted:
April 10, 2018
1. In the Theology of the Body by the late Pope John Paul II, who is a blessed saint

now, discusses marriage and sexuality wherein the body is capable of making visible

what is invisible to the naked eye which is spiritual and divine. The book gives a better

understanding of our body, sexuality, and marriage to address the problems that are

being faced in contemporary times.

The book contains teachings and epiphanies that give us a fresh new perspective

of the human body and of sexuality based from the story of creation to the book of

revelation of the Holy Bible. One of the paradigm shifts realized in this text is that through

original nakedness, there is nothing to be ashamed of since in the beginning, the

nakedness of a man and a woman is not lustful. Additionally, man originally had a freedom

that allowed the man to appreciate the reality of the other. The other was never

considered as an object but a subject which is created in the image and likeness of God.

Christ redeems man by transforming them by rediscovering in their bodies and sexuality

the original and true meaning intended by God. Through Genesis, the intention of Pope

John Paul II was not only to show the original innocence of man and woman but also to

reveal the truth of the vocation of man based from theology that springs from the image

of God. The intention was not to feel nostalgic of the old practices but to strive for the

redemption of the body.

Pope John Paull II noted that Christ gives a new meaning to the dignity of the

human body since the redemption of the body achieved by Him is the source of a
particular moral duty that commits Christians to purity. This calls man to new ethical

standards, a new commitment to living out well his bodiliness.

In the concept of marriage, human love is meant to make visible a sacred reality

hidden in God Himself. Marriage is not all about the physical aspect of the sexual act

although it is also essential, the Pope reminds us that marriage is about something more

meaningful which is building a Christian family.

2. The Theology of the Body by Pope John Paul II made me realized the truth of the

body and sexuality of man that our bodies are sacred and divine since it is created in the

image and likeness of our Creator. Our bodies should be dignified and respected in a way

that our minds would not see the human body as an object but a subject. The book

showed me growth and maturity in seeing the wisdom behind our body and sexuality.

The text has taught me how the opposite of love is not hatred but by using another

person for our own gratification which includes sexual gratification and this is due to sin.

Additionally, the concept of shame was born from the original sin committed by Adam and

Eve. Society has undervalued and cheapened sex because of sin such as watching

pornography and masturbating.

It has become clear to me now that the modern view of the body and sexuality of

a person is a social construct that causes us to sin because we objectify it. Rather, we
must acknowledge that Christ has redeemed our bodies for us to transform our

perspectives and attitudes toward sexuality.

3. As a person who values and appreciates art, our body is a beautiful masterpiece

created by God. It is something that we should not view in a lustful way but as a sacred

and divine creation because in the beginning there is nothing bad in viewing the

nakedness of our truth or bodies. Pornography has tainted the sacredness of bodies since

there is a tendency that it is objectified by people so we must view the physical aspect of

the sexual act as something that would build a Christian family. As Christ loves the

Church, correlatedly we, as men, must love and respect our dignified bodies.

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