HUMAN SEXUALITY
THE SIXTH AND NINTH COMMANDMENTS 1. What is the Christian meaning of human sexuality? With all men of good will, we Christians search for a better knowledge of the human person and his or her sexual endowment.
We do¡ not al-
ways have ready answers about specific norms of behclvior but through divine revelation, we do hove a fundamental orientation to meaning and values. Scripture tells us that the human sexual endowment is willed by God and is therefore good. "And God said, 'let us make man in our image and likeness, male and female' " (Gen. 1 :26).
All of revelation tells us that God is love and that man becomes more on image of God as he becomes more able to reciprocate love and to discern what is truthful love and what is counterfeit. God created human bisexuality not only for reproduction but also, and above all, to help mankind to grow in mutual love. Revelation as a whole teaches us formally that the full activation of sexuality has its legitimate and dignified place in marriage. There the two meanings-the bodily expression of love and the transmissi<;m of lifefind their synthes!s in a total sharing of life, values and ideals. This synthesis, in a perspective of redeeming and redeemed love, is the heart of a Christian understanding of human sexuality.
2. What is the virtue of chastity? Chastity is not something besides or beyond love. Jt is that respectful self~control that preserves one's capacity to see and to fulfill one's sexuality, in a perspective of love. It is also a result of growth in truthful love for the other person. It has nothing to do with distaste for sexual pleasure. Sexuality, with the joy and pleasure it brings, is good when it is integrated in the mutual and responsible expression of love. The virtue of chastity is possible only if one overcomes selfishness and grows in deep respect for one's own body and person and that of all 301