“Making visible what is invisible”

I first heard the term “Theology of the Body” when I was in college. As part of a book study through the Newman Center, I read Theology of the Body for Beginners by Christopher West. As I dove deeper into the book, I remember repeatedly thinking, “Why didn’t I learn about this sooner!”

The term “Theology of the Body” originates from St. John Paul II in his 120+ lectures on the subject given during his pontificate. Theology of the Body articulates the picture of God’s design for our bodies found in scripture and is explained in a way that is approachable and applicable for our time. 

Theology of the Body isn’t just about marriage and sexuality. Fundamentally, Theology of the Body seeks to answer two questions: What does it mean to be human? And how do I live my life in a way that brings true happiness and fulfillment? Those two questions alone touch the core of our being, regardless of our vocation.

On Nov. 16 at Sts. Ann and Joachim Church in Fargo, Christopher West, author, speaker, and president of the Theology of the Body Institute, and Michael Mangione, musician, wove together a dynamic presentation called Made for More. The event featured live music, video clips, and sacred art for an evening of beauty and reflection on the meaning of life, love, and human destiny. The church was filled with 800–900 people who came to be inspired by their message of the hope and joy of being human.

Through the Incarnation, God became man with the same humanity as us. This radical nature of God’s humanity in Christianity is the intersection between heaven and earth. Through the sacrifice of Jesus’ human body, our redemption was made possible. Since our bodies are made in the image and likeness of God, our bodies are the surest sign of God and his goodness here on earth.

St. John Paul II’s thesis statement of Theology of the Body beautifully states, “The body and it alone is capable of making visible what is invisible, the spiritual and divine. It was created to transfer into the visible reality of the world the invisible mystery hidden in God from time immemorial and thus to be a sign of it” (TOB 19:4, Feb 20, 1980).

So why is it important to understand the mystery St. John Paul II unveils in Theology of the Body? When we understand that our bodies make “visible the invisible” mysteries of God, we see our lives and the lives of our neighbors in a new light. We are unrepeatable. What we do day-to-day matters.

Christopher West introduces the topic in his book Theology of the Body for Beginners with, “To ask questions about the meaning of the human body starts us on an exhilarating journey that—if we stay the course—leads us from the human body to the mystery of sexual difference; from the mystery of sexual difference to the mystery of a holy communion in ‘one flesh;’ from mystery of this union in ‘one flesh’ to the mystery of Christ’s Holy Communion with the Church (see Eph. 5:31-32); and from the Holy Communion of Christ and the Church to the eternal Holy Communion of Father, Son, and Spirit. In short, pondering the deepest meaning of the human sexual-body leads us step-by-step into the heart of the mystery of God himself. In this way, John Paull II’s Theology of the Body affords ‘the rediscovery of the meaning of the whole existence…the meaning of life’” (TOB 46:6).

“Understanding that the body is inherently holy, changes everything about the way we live our daily lives,” said Brad Gray, Director of the Marriage and Family Life office for the Diocese of Fargo. “We are no longer free to fall for deceptive claims such as my body, my choice. One cannot manipulate and mutilate their own body to fit their fancies, because his body is not his own but is the temple of the Holy Spirit and belongs to God. This redefines how we interact with others. Instead of being duped by the thinking of Jean Paul Sartre that ‘Hell is other people,’ we begin to grasp the profound insight of C.S. Lewis that ‘next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.’”

The body is holy but because of our fallen human nature, we can be attracted to things that are not good for us. For example, the Devil can twist our good desire for communion with another person into an inappropriate use of our bodies such as in pornography. To paraphrase St. John Paul II, pornography doesn’t show too much, it shows too little because it only depicts a body and misses the person. It hijacks what should be a holy communion of persons of a husband and wife and merely settles for a joining of bodies in some way. The good news is that we are not only fallen but we are also redeemed by Jesus and the grace he won for us makes it possible for us to live truly holy lives in joy, peace, and freedom.

“St. John Paul II says man can only find himself by making a sincere gift of himself,” said Tim Mosser, Director of the Respect Life office for the Diocese of Fargo. “We are called to give of ourselves as Jesus did. God himself is a communion of persons—Father, Son and Spirit—and a covenant of love. His love is always full, faithful, fruitful, free, and forever. We are called to image these five Fs in our lives as well. Marriage is the most common and visible form of this but all persons—regardless of vocation and state in life—are called to reflect God’s love. For example, Mother Teresa made a total gift of herself not in marriage to a man but in her service to the ‘poorest of the poor.’ She saw the face of Christ in everyone to whom she ministered.”

“This teaching of St. John Paul II opens the door to a truer spirituality,” said Brad Gray, “one that is capable of recognizing and encountering God’s presence through my desires, yearnings, fears, apprehensions, loves, and every other facet of my humanity that is oriented toward him, even though these desires are often aimed at things that could never possibly fulfill them. This helps me to realize that holiness is not found in a flight from or a suppression of our humanity, but instead a courageous journey deep into it to discover God present at the very core.”

Desire is a key concept of Theology of the Body. God made us ultimately for union with him and nothing else will completely satisfy us. There are many created things that are good and partially fulfill our desires such as a good meal, great conversation, beautiful sunsets, art and music, and especially other human beings—including our spouse. As good as these are, none of them can completely fulfill all human desire. Even the richest and most famous people realize this in some way. Bruce Springsteen has a “Hungry Heart,” Mick Jagger “Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” and Bono “Still Hasn’t Found What He’s Looking For,” to paraphrase the cries of their hearts heard in their songs. As St. Augustine discovered, we are made for God and “our hearts are restless until they rest in him.”

So what’s the lesson? Enjoy the good things of earth but don’t make them an idol by looking for total fulfillment in them. Instead make then an icon—a window to heaven—that points us to our ultimate desire for communion with God. Theology of the Body does not suggest the suppression of desire, rather, the holy fulfillment of desire. Direct your desires to your Divine destiny—communion with the Trinity.

Jennie Korsmo, Marriage Preparation Coordinator for the Diocese of Fargo, is taking classes through the Theology of the Body Institute. These classes include Foundations of Theology of the Body, New Evangelization, Writings of John Paul II, Theology of the Body and Art, Interior Life, Vatican II, Spiritual Direction, and Marian Mystery. These classes are available at tobinstitute.org.

“The classes have helped me dive deeper into my understanding of the great mystery of the incarnation,” she said. “‘Through the fact that the Word of God became flesh, the body entered theology… through the main door’ (TOB 23:4). As Christ took on a human body, He became a gift for all of us. We are called to recognize ourselves as gifts and be a gift to others. This is what is meant by the ‘spousal meaning’ of the body, to be a gift to others and receive others as a gift. Every single person we encounter is a gift, which makes Theology of the Body foundational for my entire life, both at home and the work I do here at the Diocese. Even when someone treats me poorly, I am called to remember they are a gift from God and respond accordingly.”

Topics within Theology of the Body are vast, and each leads into the next. Through this intellectual and theological approach, we can find a path to a deeply fulfilled life, where we understand our deepest desires, our innate dignity, and the dignity of others.
To learn more about Theology of the Body, check out the following events.

Tim Mosser will be presenting Theology of the Body education at Sts. Anne and Joachim in Fargo, every Monday evening starting Jan. 22.