R
Red_Beard
Guest
I think that something that is frequently missed is that the purpose of this life is to grow in holiness to ultimately be united with God and experience the Beatific Vision. This can only happen through complete submission to Christ. It can be seen in the lives of every saint that a person becomes holy when they become selfless. It is the complete and irrevocable gift of self that makes any Vocation a path to Christ.
Marriage is an institution for the mutual help of spouses so that they can grow in holiness in this way. It is an institution that has roles and the roles where defined by God as the best way to enable the spouses to be holy.
A man is directed outward. This is seen clearly through theology of the body as a man’s body “sends forth” during the marital embrace. It is also pretty clearly seen through all of human history. He is the interface between the family and the world. He tames the world and shields the family from the daily buffeting of unhealthy outside forces. He is the reef that breaks the large waves and makes a calm lagoon for his family.
A woman is directed inward. This is the “active receptivity” in the marital embrace. She is the heart of the home. She thrives in the calm lagoon and makes it a paradise for her children and her husband.
A man is a leader by his nature. All that is great in masculinity involves protecting and providing. Masculinity cannot be fulfilled without someone to protect, provide for, and cherish. Christ was the ultimate image of this in that he gave himself on the cross out of love for us. Husbands, who are called to love their wives in the same way, submit their will to what is best for the family. There are a million things he’d rather do every day than go work hard only to come home and have to help more, but his will is voluntarily submitted for his family. Please note: his very act of love is an act of submission. If it is done well, it can lead to holiness. If selfishness is never rooted out, it leads to the decay of dissatisfaction.
One aspect of masculinity is that it cannot be forced on another. A man cannot make a woman accept his gift of self and yet he needs someone to accept it. Our culture goes so far out of its way to emasculate men, that many don’t know what masculinity means. Even the dictionary defines the word far more weakly and negatively than it did a hundred years ago. Today, in the age of the “boy-men,” which just so happens to coincide with the general acceptance of radical feminism, many men are aimless and adrift. They have not been called upon to give of themselves and become greater for it.
One frightening aspect of this trend, is that many priests are emasculated as well to the extent that they don’t feel comfortable using the words “I absolve you…” My wife has pointed out to me that our role towards our priests should be one of submission and giving so that we go to them and ask them “What can we do for you so that you can be the best priest you can be?” rather than always going and nagging.
When a wife is truly and freely submissive to her husband, she gives him the opportunity to fulfill God’s role for his masculinity. If she never depends on him, then he is never proving himself and forcing himself to be dependable.
I believe that this is why it is in the best interest of the man’s soul for his wife to be submissive. I believe it is also in the best interest of the wife’s soul to be submissive as well, and I would like to hear other’s opinions on this idea.
I’ll also leave it up to others to write the paragraph on how a wife’s role leads to holiness.
God bless,
Red Beard
Marriage is an institution for the mutual help of spouses so that they can grow in holiness in this way. It is an institution that has roles and the roles where defined by God as the best way to enable the spouses to be holy.
A man is directed outward. This is seen clearly through theology of the body as a man’s body “sends forth” during the marital embrace. It is also pretty clearly seen through all of human history. He is the interface between the family and the world. He tames the world and shields the family from the daily buffeting of unhealthy outside forces. He is the reef that breaks the large waves and makes a calm lagoon for his family.
A woman is directed inward. This is the “active receptivity” in the marital embrace. She is the heart of the home. She thrives in the calm lagoon and makes it a paradise for her children and her husband.
A man is a leader by his nature. All that is great in masculinity involves protecting and providing. Masculinity cannot be fulfilled without someone to protect, provide for, and cherish. Christ was the ultimate image of this in that he gave himself on the cross out of love for us. Husbands, who are called to love their wives in the same way, submit their will to what is best for the family. There are a million things he’d rather do every day than go work hard only to come home and have to help more, but his will is voluntarily submitted for his family. Please note: his very act of love is an act of submission. If it is done well, it can lead to holiness. If selfishness is never rooted out, it leads to the decay of dissatisfaction.
One aspect of masculinity is that it cannot be forced on another. A man cannot make a woman accept his gift of self and yet he needs someone to accept it. Our culture goes so far out of its way to emasculate men, that many don’t know what masculinity means. Even the dictionary defines the word far more weakly and negatively than it did a hundred years ago. Today, in the age of the “boy-men,” which just so happens to coincide with the general acceptance of radical feminism, many men are aimless and adrift. They have not been called upon to give of themselves and become greater for it.
One frightening aspect of this trend, is that many priests are emasculated as well to the extent that they don’t feel comfortable using the words “I absolve you…” My wife has pointed out to me that our role towards our priests should be one of submission and giving so that we go to them and ask them “What can we do for you so that you can be the best priest you can be?” rather than always going and nagging.
When a wife is truly and freely submissive to her husband, she gives him the opportunity to fulfill God’s role for his masculinity. If she never depends on him, then he is never proving himself and forcing himself to be dependable.
I believe that this is why it is in the best interest of the man’s soul for his wife to be submissive. I believe it is also in the best interest of the wife’s soul to be submissive as well, and I would like to hear other’s opinions on this idea.
I’ll also leave it up to others to write the paragraph on how a wife’s role leads to holiness.
God bless,
Red Beard