Power, Joy, and Awe

It has come to my attention that it is National NFP Week. I'm not really sure what that means for people who aren't in the habit of writing about touchy subjects online -- after all, it's not really something you can do for just a week...
In celebration of NFP Week, I thought I would write something happy about it. The last piece I posted on NFP accused it of being a cross. Which yes, but not only that. A cross and a joy.

Catholics often get accused of being anti-body, in part because of the Church's teachings on sexuality. But the truth is to the contrary. The Catholic Church is pro-body, as exhibited by her teachings on sexuality. And NFP is one beautiful example of this attitude.

You see, the Catholic Church realizes the immense power in the human body. The human body has the capacity to create another life. When a person lives out the fullest of his or her communion with another person, their bodies together create life. Still now, over a year after I discovered that there was a tiny human person inside of me, I am blown away by the fact that I can look at this child and say, "She was not and now she is -- because of us."

Yes, any human life comes into being by the graces of God, but it is given to us as human persons to make life. Because of the prevalence of contraceptives in our culture, we have separated sexuality and new life. Besides being logically problematic, this split takes away one of the most beautiful and powerful experiences of our humanity.

When you are practicing NFP, you don't have the luxury of forgetting that sexuality and your creative powers are inextricably linked. NFP is beautiful because it constantly reminds a couple of their power to bring a new person into existence. She was not and now she is. This knowledge can transform our relationship with ourselves and our spouses, because it brings with it a sense of awe normally reserved for the divine.

And it is not blasphemy, because the ability to bring life into being is one of the most profound natural ways in which God gives Himself to His children. He is the Creator, yet He lets us create. He answers our bodily actions by giving our children souls. A couple practicing NFP has the opportunity to recognize the greatness of this gift -- even if they don't make a child -- and to respond to themselves and their spouses with nothing short of awe at God's handiwork. 

Image from the USCCB: usccb.org/nfp