Forgiven and Repaired | ACW117

If we are redeemed, why must our bodies die? How do you deal with lustful thoughts as a woman? Is it sinful to be intimate with my husband after he has had a vasectomy?

Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

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Q1: I am really grateful for this teaching on Theology of the Body and for your ministry. You’re spreading very good news and everything’s starting to make sense in my life.
If we are reborn, redeemed, regenerated, why must our bodies die? What is the theology of our dead bodies?

Q2: I'm struggling to know how long to hold onto lustful thoughts. I’ve realized, through listening to other women's stories, that I have quite a high sex drive for a woman, and thoughts about intimacy pop into my head daily. I'm single but dating someone I'm very interested in, and my attraction to him as a whole person intensifies my imagination. While I used to hate myself every time this craving for intimacy would pop into my head, I've learned from your podcast that it's okay to have space for that and look for the deeper, good need behind it.
I also notice that I sometimes spend a lot of time dwelling on this, and then I worry that I'm engaging sinfully I should be doing away with it. Where is the place of balance?

Q3: In my country it is very common for people to decide how many kids you want and then get sterilized once you have them. I thought we were doing great with NFP, but after a scary pregnancy with our fourth baby, we felt so tired, scared, and overwhelmed without family close to help. We decided my husband would have a vasectomy. Everybody does it, we thought. As time passes, and I learn more about Theology of the Body, I regret this decision.I know marriage, sex and babies go together, but now we can’t have babies. I feel that maybe we are doing something wrong when my husband wants to be intimate with me. Is it wrong to be intimate now?

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Resources mentioned this week:

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Christopher and Wendy hope their advice is helpful to you, but they are not licensed counseling professionals. If you are dealing with serious issues, please consult our list of trusted professionals.

Featuring music by Mike Mangione.