John Acquaviva, PhD

Bringing Theology of the Body into the World of Fitness

and Health

 

 “While everything that God has made says something about his greatness, nothing speaks more loudly or deeply than the human body”

 

 

The human person is the greatest revelation of God’s existence. Every person since Adam and Eve has been created in God’s image, and through their bodies prove God’s reality. The body is God’s way of allowing us to express what is in the soul. This is the great mystery, and can lead to questions such as, “How can we mirror God in this ever-aging, limited and flawed body?” and moreover, “How can my Catholic faith directly impact the way I see my body?”

 

 

Without the answers to these questions, it seems to be our tendency to allow others to dictate the worth of our bodies. Indeed, with enough stimuli, anyone could surrender to that. The hope here is to educate and reshape the thoughts we have about our bodies so we can lead more productive and meaningful lives. But since there have been so many distractions that lead us away from the true meaning of our bodies, something is needed to draw us back. The answer lies within our Catholic faith. Our faith is not designed to erase or ease life’s challenges, but it is there to lift us when those challenges occur. This is why the Church has offered us a small library of writings on the body and its purpose. With this, we can come to know God better and we can come to know why he made us. Our role in this is to take what the Church offers and embrace it.