Sex and Hunger

Every human being has two instincts that are basic, fundamental and strong. The first one is hunger the other is sex. God implanted both of these inside of us. It is thanks to hunger that we preserve individual life. It is thanks to sex that we preserve social life. God instilled in us these two desires with the intentions to be used for good, but because of human freewill there is the likelihood of abuse in both instincts.

Overindulgence of the hunger instinct it can lead to the sin of gluttony and of health consequences in the body. The same principle can be applied to overindulgence in sex, in that by allowing filth to enter the mind - it corrupts the body in its action and leads the spirit down a dark path. One would not put garbage into the stomach but yet so many put garbage into the mind.

Sex and the two trains

For example, let’s compare the sexual instinct to the analogy of an engineer and two trains; one a slower paced and the other a faster paced train (Sex instinct).

The engineer (God) created and instilled in both trains the desire to go fast as that is the nature of the train. The slower paced one takes its time, goes at a reasonable rate and things progress as it should because it followed the guidance of the engineer.

The faster one didn’t listen to the instructions to go at a reasonable rate of speed and instead chose its own path; not only to its own determent, but that of the passengers and the town as well that suffered when the train crashed.

It’s when we listen to God and follow His instructions then events in our lives tend to work out for the good of everyone;

Whereas if we choose our own way, it usually hurts us and anyone else involved in the situation!

If a member of the Armed Forces were to be sent into battle and deserted their companions on the battlefield because of Fear and the prospect of death, would their Sergeant be inclined to award them the Medal of Honor for being a free thinker and doing what they wanted rather than to carry out his orders? I’m not referring to those free thinkers who are industrious, creative, or ambitious and want to improve our planet or to the quality of life.

I speak of those who tamper with the two basic instincts of hunger and sex and the concept of self-preservation. Sex is a mystery and as such God is allowing humans to cooperate with Him in the creative process. God instructed humankind to, “be fruitful and multiply” and it’s in the sexual act that humans participate in God’s creative design.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him”. (Genesis 2:18)

Then the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, He took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman ’, for she was taken out of man”.

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. (Genesis 21-24)

God was present at the creation of the world, and in the same aspect man was present at the creation of woman.

Since man is from God and created from dust his characteristics are to be more powerful, have initiative, strength, and be industrious. Man is a more external being and is closer to nature in the sense that he rules over it, loves to hunt, and be the provider.

Woman is more internal because she came out of a man, and therefore is more inclined to be intuitive, responsive, acceptable, submissive, and cooperative, passionate, and loving.

God made man and woman complimentary not only in body, but temperament and spirit as well.

Marriage is a Sacrament (outward signed instituted by God to confer grace) instituted by God and not by man as it is a lifelong union and not a contract that can easily be broken. In Mathew 19:4-6 when asked about divorce by the Scribes and Pharisees, Jesus replied, “Have you never read how He created them when they first came to be? He created them male and female.” And who He said, “a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife and the two become one flesh.” And so they are no longer two, but one flesh. “What God has joined together let no man separate”.

There are two important words in the vocabulary of love; the first word is “you” as that should be the focus of your intention and always asks, “how may I serve you?”

The second word is “always” as in, “I will love you always until death do us part.”

In love and marriage there is the lover, the beloved, and the binding element of love which at the center of the union is God.

The outward element of a Sacramental marriage is the exchange of vows and the joining of hands.

The Second is the invisible grace which symbolizes the marriage between Christ and His Church, and this bond between Jesus and His Church can never be broken.  If Christ had many churches instead of one this would be spiritual adultery would it not? Husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loves the Church even to the point of offering his life for her! Total sacrifice is the author of true everlasting love. In this current age, how are men and woman called to live out a Sacramental marriage with all the attacks on marriage?

Our Lord (the Bread of Life) is ever present in the Eucharist in order to sustain love in the marriage bond, and confession to help heal the brokenness of an unhappy marriage!

Jesus is always faithful to His bride the Church and has asked us to be faithful in our marriage covenant.

The way you treat our Eucharistic Lord in most cases will coincide with how you treat the marriage covenant too.

If there is no fidelity to the Eucharist and the Church, then most likely there is no fidelity in the marriage of the Sexual act.

The intimacy, between the husband and wife must be likened to the intimacy of Christ for his Church.

If you can’t ask Christ into your bedroom and the marital act, then you have allowed Satan in.

The same concept can be applied to the priest, his role in the Church, and his commitment to the Eucharist. If the priest has no fidelity to his mother the Church and no intimate love of our Lord in the Eucharist then his ability to remain celibate in his vocation becomes very difficult.