John
Paul II - Theology of the Body |
Continence Protects the
Dignity of the Conjugal Act
General Audience, October 24, 1984
1. In keeping with what has already
been said, today we will take up the analysis of the virtue of
continence.
Continence, which is part of the more general virtue of temperance.
Continence consists in the capacity to dominate, control and direct
drives of a sexual character (concupiscence of the flesh) and their
consequences, in the psychosomatic subjectivity of man. Insofar as
it is a constant disposition of the will, this capacity, merits
being called a virtue.
We know from the previous analyses that concupiscence of the flesh,
and the corresponding desire of a sexual character aroused by it, is
expressed with a specific impulse in the sphere of somatic reaction
and also with a psycho-emotive excitement of the sensual impulse.
The personal subject, in order to succeed in mastering this impulse
and excitement, must be committed to a progressive education in
self-control of the will, feelings and emotions. This education must
develop beginning with the most simple acts in which it is
relatively easy to put the interior decision into practice. As is
obvious, this presupposes the clear perception of the values
expressed in the law and the consequent formation of firm
convictions. If accompanied by the respective disposition of the
will, these convictions give rise to the corresponding virtue. This
is precisely the virtue of continence (self-mastery). This virtue is
seen to be the fundamental condition for the reciprocal language of
the body to remain in the truth and for the couple to "defer to one
another out of reverence for Christ," according to the words of
Scripture (Eph 5:21). This "deferring to one another" means the
common concern for the truth of the language of the body; rather,
deferring "out of reverence for Christ" indicates the gift of the
fear of God (a gift of the Holy Spirit) which accompanies the virtue
of continence.
2. This is very important for an adequate understanding of the
virtue of continence and especially of the so-called "periodic
continence" dealt with in the Encyclical Humanae Vitae. The
conviction that the virtue of continence is set against the
concupiscence of the flesh is correct, but it is not altogether
complete. It is not complete especially when we take into account
the fact that this virtue does not appear and does not act
abstractly and therefore in isolation. But it always appears and
acts in connection with the other virtues (nexus virtutum), and
therefore in connection with prudence, justice, fortitude and above
all with charity.
In the light of these considerations it is easy to understand that
continence is not limited to offering resistance to the
concupiscence of the flesh. But through this resistance it is open
likewise to those values, more profound and more mature, inherent in
the spousal significance of the body in its femininity and
masculinity, as well as in the authentic freedom of the gift in the
reciprocal relations of the persons. Concupiscence of the flesh
itself, insofar as it seeks above all carnal and sensual
satisfaction, makes man in a certain sense blind and insensitive to
the most profound values that spring from love and which at the same
time constitute love in the interior truth that is proper to it.
Linked to power of love
3. In this way also the essential character of conjugal chastity
is manifested in its organic link with the power of love, which is
poured out into the hearts of the married couple along with the
consecration of the sacrament of marriage. In addition, it becomes
evident that the call directed to the couple that they "defer to one
another out of reverence for Christ" (Eph 5:21) seems to open that
interior space in which both become ever more sensitive to the most
profound and most mature values that are connected with the spousal
significance of the body and with the true freedom of the gift.
Conjugal chastity (and chastity in general) is manifested at first
as the capacity to resist the concupiscence of the flesh. It later
gradually reveals itself as a singular capacity to perceive, love
and practice those meanings of the language of the body which remain
altogether unknown to concupiscence itself. Those meanings
progressively enrich the marital dialogue of the couple, purifying
it, deepening it, and at the same time simplifying it.
Therefore, that asceticism of continence, which the encyclical
speaks of (cf. HV 21), does not impoverish affective manifestations.
But rather it makes them spiritually more intense and therefore
enriches them.
No contradiction
4. Analyzing continence in this way, in the dynamics proper to
this virtue (anthropological, ethical and theological), we see that
that apparent contradiction disappears, which is often an objection
to the Encyclical Humanae Vitae and to the doctrine of the Church on
conjugal morality. That is, there would be a contradiction
(according to those who offer this objection) between the two
meanings of the conjugal act, the unitive meaning and the
procreative meaning (cf. HV 12), so that if it were not licit to
separate them, the couple would be deprived of the right to conjugal
union when they could not responsibly be permitted to procreate.
The Encyclical Humanae Vitae gives an answer to this apparent
contradiction, if one studies it in depth. Pope Paul VI confirms
that there is no contradiction but only a difficulty connected with
the whole interior situation of the "man of concupiscence." Rather,
precisely by reason of this difficulty, there is assigned to the
interior and ascetical commitment of the couple the true order of
conjugal life. In view of this order, they become "strengthened and,
one might say, consecrated" (HV 25) by the Sacrament of Marriage.
Adequate meaning
5. That order of conjugal life means in addition the subjective
harmony between responsible parenthood and personal communion, a
harmony created by conjugal chastity. The interior fruits of
continence mature in it. Through this interior maturing, the
conjugal act itself acquires the importance and dignity proper to it
in its potentially procreative meaning. At the same time, all the
affective manifestations acquire an adequate meaning (cf. HV 21).
They serve to express the personal communion of the couple in
proportion to the subjective richness of femininity and masculinity.
Particular affection
6. In keeping with experience and tradition, the encyclical reveals
that the conjugal act is also a "manifestation of affection" (HV
16). But it is a "manifestation of particular affection" because at
the same time it has a potentially procreative meaning. As a result,
it is oriented to express personal union, but not only that. At the
same time the encyclical indicates, although indirectly, many
manifestations of affection, effective exclusively to express the
personal union of the couple.
The role of conjugal chastity, and still more precisely that of
continence, lies not only in protecting the importance and dignity
of the conjugal act in relation to its procreative meaning, but also
in safeguarding the importance and the dignity proper to the
conjugal act as expressive of interpersonal union, revealing to the
awareness and the experience of the couple all the other possible
manifestations of affection that can express this profound communion
of theirs.
It is indeed a matter of not doing harm to the communion of the
couple in the case where for just reasons they should abstain from
the conjugal act. Still more, this communion, continually being
built up, day by day, through suitable affective manifestations, may
constitute a vast terrain on which, under suitable conditions, the
decision for a morally right conjugal act matures.
Taken from: L'Osservatore Romano Weekly Edition in English 29
October 1984, page 1
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