“Thus a man and a woman, who by the marriage covenant of conjugal love ‘are no longer two, but one flesh’ (Mt 19:6) render mutual help and service to each other through an intimate union of their persons and of their actions.” -Second Vatican Council
This is a very insightful perspective! I appreciate your emphasis on complementarity and compromise. In particular, how you point out that even though each has different roles, both must work together.
Are you familiar with Emily Wilson? She's a YouTube influencer popular with young Catholic women. While she does make some valid points, sadly, much of her content fosters a negative view of men. Instead of trying to facilitate understanding and harmony between the sexes, her content encourages her female audience to regard men with a "hermeneutic of suspicion" - as basically unreliable and untrustworthy - rather than rendering the judgement of charity - interpreting words and deeds where the motive or intent is unknown in a positive light, unless given reasonable evidence to the contrary. Now, I do realize that there are some men out there who are truly unsuited for marriage, but it is not very Christian to produce content that implies all men in general are "guilty until proven innocent."
And in addition to being uncharitable, it puts a very high bar up in someone's mind for a relationship. Perhaps this is one reason why even among faithful Catholics there are so many single into their 30's. I'm not talking, of course, about those discerning priesthood in the Roman church, or religious life. :)
This is positively the best and clearest teaching on this Biblical passage that I have ever heard, and I am 75, so I have many!!!!
This is a very insightful perspective! I appreciate your emphasis on complementarity and compromise. In particular, how you point out that even though each has different roles, both must work together.
Are you familiar with Emily Wilson? She's a YouTube influencer popular with young Catholic women. While she does make some valid points, sadly, much of her content fosters a negative view of men. Instead of trying to facilitate understanding and harmony between the sexes, her content encourages her female audience to regard men with a "hermeneutic of suspicion" - as basically unreliable and untrustworthy - rather than rendering the judgement of charity - interpreting words and deeds where the motive or intent is unknown in a positive light, unless given reasonable evidence to the contrary. Now, I do realize that there are some men out there who are truly unsuited for marriage, but it is not very Christian to produce content that implies all men in general are "guilty until proven innocent."
And in addition to being uncharitable, it puts a very high bar up in someone's mind for a relationship. Perhaps this is one reason why even among faithful Catholics there are so many single into their 30's. I'm not talking, of course, about those discerning priesthood in the Roman church, or religious life. :)
This is so true,and must be taught in our parishes at Mass and religious ed classes.