Chapter #3 Naked Without Shame

1. Chapter #3Naked Without Shame Just as a work of art points to the heart of the artist; our bodies point to the heart of God who made us.

2. Original Man • Originally Adam and Eve had no shame; rather perfect love • Original Man: No need to cover themselves because there was no risk of being used • Saw in their bodies the call to be a gift to each other.

3. Original Solitude • Original Solitude: Adam alone, without a woman, without ‘another’. • Was different from the animals; was a Spiritualized Body. • Original man experienced sexual desire in totally pure way. • Adam saw Eve’s body he didn’t want to use her, experienced a call to love her. • Sexual desire was a desire to love in the image of God, pure. • Original nakedness was peaceful, was filled with an Original Innocence, made it possible to be Naked Without Shame. “This at last is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh” (Gen 2:23)

4. Naked Without Shame vs. Shameless • Naked Without Shame= Nudity within the context of innocence, freedom, purity of heart. • Shameless= Flaunting the body without inhibition, robbing sex of its sacredness, its mystery. Sex=a gift to be cherished Sex=recreational activity.

5. Nuptial Meaning of the Body • Adam and Eve saw their bodies were made for each other, (literally fit together don’t make sense apart from the other.) • Adam saw in Eve’s body an invitation to love her (making visible the love of God). Stamped into the body. • God made them as a gift for each other, by giving themselves able to mirror the very life of God. • Original Unity: Bodily union also joins their persons. • The sexual union is a sign of an even deeper union of persons. No separation of body and soul.

6. God designed our bodies and desires. • Chastity is the only way to express true love, sexual drive is not eliminated but perfected. Negative purity; involves just looking away. Positive purity; transformed heart that isn’t afraid of beauty. • Physical traits reflect qualities of masculinity and femininity mean.

7. Man’s Body • Strength has always been associated with masculinity (superheroes as chiseled vs. comedies) • Exterior strength should point to the interior strength of character • Courage defines a man more than anything else

8. Heroic Sacrifice • God put the noble desire to be valiant and give heroic sacrifice in men’s hearts for a reason. • Desire to protect women needs to be more than from physical attack; need to guard her from his own lust. “Christ assigns the dignity of every woman as a task of every man” Bl. JPII • Men are called to make sacrifices for the good of others. (God, Family, Friends, Country…) • Christ is the model: “The Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matt 20:28)

9. Men and Sexual Desire • Men vs. Women: • Sexual desires are more intense. • Testosterone levels are about 20X greater. • Brain portion dedicated to sexual drive 2X larger. • The yearning within man’s body to unite with feminine beauty is a reminder that the soul longs for beauty of Heaven. • A man’s task is to order these desires according to the demands of authentic love. Sexual desire is not bad; God designed. Purity does not eliminate erotic desire, perfects it

10. The anatomy of a man’s body points to the fact that he is the one who initiates the gift of himself to a woman. • This should be true in relationships; he should pursue her, win her trust and affection. • He is more externally directed, not just in the physical but emotional sense as well. • Our bodies are “fearfully and wonderfully made”

11. Male Reproductive System

12. Woman’s Body • The most beautiful thing in the world is… a woman’s body. Crescendo of creation. • Woman foreshadows the beauty of Heaven on earth. • Women are captivating; Research has found when a woman is pictured in an ad viewers (male and female) look app. 14 -30% longer.

13. Women and Beauty Her body is a revelation of her as a person- Her personality and the way she expresses compassion is beautiful. Nothing in Heaven compares to the beauty of God, and nothing on earth approaches the beauty of woman. Beauty is often distorted or idolized. We are called to beauty, made for it; all beauty on earth is a taste of Heaven . “Beauty will save the world” (Dostoyevsky)

14. Woman’s Gift • A woman’s brain: • has 11% more neurons in the language and hearing centers. • Is physically larger in the area that forms emotions and memories. • From the time she is in her mother’s womb it is neurologically more connected than those of men. • She has a superior ability to express her speech, thoughts, and emotion. • Woman 20,000 words/day vs. Men 7,000. • This ability of a woman to be open to others in relationship and emotions is plainly revealed in the woman’s body.

15. The Mystery of Woman • The miracle of conception happens within the woman’s body (She’s the tabernacle of life.) • Intimate organs are hidden from sight (inside her body.) • What is hidden usually refers to something deep and mysterious (hide secrets, what is personal, intimate) • Holy of Holies in OT: Hidden behind a veil. • Ark of the Covenant: plated with pure gold.

16. Female Reproductive Anatomy

17. Veiling her body (dressing with modest clothing) is not hiding from men; shows her dignity. • Song of Songs (4:9) describes the woman’s body as an enclosed garden. (opened only to the one who is worthy to enter.) • Sexual imagery in the Bible shows God is the one who inspired erotic love poetry. • Our sexuality is an invitation to be united in love with Him.

18. FTFF • Adam and Eve were called to mirror God’s love which is Free, Total, Faithful and Fruitful. • While the spousal analogy is bold and erotic language, it is the analogy that is the least inadequate in describing God’s love for us.

19. Family of Love • God wanted Adam and Eve to enjoy sexual intercourse. He had given this to them as a wonderful gift to give each other. • Through their union, Adam and Eve experienced a deep meaning of life. • Through that relationship, from their love, a new life was born. (This is a dim reflection of the Trinity.)

20. The Big Lie • Satan convinced Adam and Eve that God didn’t really want them to be happy, that He was holding out on them. • Lacked trust. Questioned the gift. Decide for themselves what was wrong. (Smeagol and Gollum; is the master trustworthy, does he care about him?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLvIFRNbqOs This original lie is still alive today in us. “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want but I do the very thing I hate” (Rom. 7:15) • Original Sin lead to Historical Man; Struggling with our tendency to sin; weekend will, disordered appetites… >>>>>>>>The hope is Jesus Christ<<<<<<<<

21. Dignity of the Body • Why don’t animals hide their naked bodies? Humans are the only creature on earth that do. • Why wouldn’t the models wear the bikini on the runway in 1946? • Michelangelo’s nudes on the Sistine Chapel prudishly covered then removed by Bl. JPII.

22. Some people deal with shame by becoming shameless. • Feel no remorse for their desire to use other person or to be used. • Make no effort to overcome self urges, (often their conscience is numbed.) • On your wedding night you should be able to stand before your spouse naked without shame. “Shame is swallowed by love, dissolved in it” –Bl. JPII • Sexual intercourse is a total gift of self in life giving love. • There is no room for shame since there is no room for selfishness. (Marriage doesn’t guarantee this kind of love, but this love is a prerequisite for marriage) Shameless Marital Love