072: Rediscovering the Power of St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body

Tick...tick...tick... Famous Catholic author, George Weigel, said Pope St. John Paul's Theology of the Body is  a "theological time bomb set to go off with dramatic consequences sometime in the third millennium of the Church." That time has come. In fact, we're practically past time. Unless you've been under a rock for the last few weeks, you've surely heard about the ever-increasing number of famous figures accused of sexual abuse and immorality. Hollywood moguls, US Senators and Congressmen, famous actors...the list goes on and on. While I'm glad this has all come to light, realize it's nothing new. This has all been going on since almost the beginning of time. But we seem to have reached a crisis point in modern culture. People are starting to realize that something is wrong. Terribly wrong. And they want answers to questions they don't even know how to formulate. St. John Paul II saw it coming a mile away. In fact, right from the beginning of his pontificate he provided the answers in a series of Wednesday audience lectures that became known as the Theology of the Body. And while a lot of Catholics have heard of it, they've never really dug into it. And even if we've dug into it, many of us have forgotten the power of John Paul II's incredible insights. So I'm bringing it back. In this episode, we'll explore: Why the Garden of Eden is the key to our sexuality and identity as human persons How "male and female" is  a reflection of God Himself How our situation is now different than Adam and Eve...in a positive sense! Why human bodies matter...really matter Why human beings can never be treated as a means to an end There's a lot in this episode to chew on, especially in light of recent events. And my scriptural guru buddy Curtis Mitch, will sink his razor sharp theological teeth into it all and unpack the biblical foundations for Theology of the Body from the writings of St. Paul. God bless! Matthew   "All who have been lost were lost because they did not pray." St. Alphonsus Liguori. Don't be lost! Grab your FREE copy of my quick guide to deeper prayer 8 Ways To Jumpstart Your Prayer Life!  It's an easy step-by-step summary of the spiritual giants of the Church designed to help you rocket to God!     Don't miss a show! Subscribe to The Art of Catholic by clicking this link and then clicking "View in iTunes" under the picture and then "Subscribe"!  (I listen to my podcasts on using Overcast. It's free and works better than the Apple Podcast player. Get it here.) Walk in the footsteps of Jesus! Check out the new video about my Pilgrimage to the Holy Land in March 2018!  It's the trip of a lifetime! Click here for trip details.