The mysterious difference between the sexes.

by Scott Johnston

Is it really wise to think that there is no fundamental difference between men and women? Isn’t society enriched by the special qualities men and women each posses?

Is there nothing beautiful, uniquely special, about a mother nursing her baby? Isn’t it a grace of womanhood, to be the one to whom your little ones run for tender consolation when they are hurt, to be the one on whose lap is for them the safest, most loving place in the world? Isn’t it tremendous, as a woman, to be the earthly reflection and reminder to the world of Jesus’ spouse; this spouse who is so treasured in His eyes, for love of whom He gave His life, whose mysterious depths could be the object of such great love?

Isn’t it incredible, as a man, to be capable of noticing in a masculine way, the awesome depths of this secret and beautiful treasure that lies in the heart of woman? Isn’t it wonderful to ponder, as a man, that we are resonating in a particular way with that manhood deep in the chest of our Lord and Savior when we experience the breathtaking inner pull toward the most beautiful and splendid creature on earth—woman—and that this draw to be with her, to protect her, to sacrifice courageously for her, to be looked to by her for security, to understand that she wants to see us as brave for her—is to share deeply in the very core of who Christ is in the loving eyes of His bride?

Would it not be a good thing if priests, as men, understood themselves to be in a spousal relationship, reflecting and making real on earth the eternally fruitful heavenly marriage of Christ with the Church? And to aspire to emulate always, the husbandly gifts of Jesus to His Church of protecting, guiding, providing and caring warmly for her and her children, and of sacrificing courageously for her?

Wouldn’t it be good if all fathers prayed for the grace to model and to impart to their sons the gifts of authentic manhood, and a great desire to live them fully? And likewise, women in regard to their daughters?

Or, is all this sharing and participating in the eternal dance of the marital union of God and man while even yet in this life, just another result of fanciful thinking, produced by arbitrary gender identities, mere accoutrements, slapped onto us by human society for convenience? I wonder, if the latter is true, which gender ‘identity’ among the presently talked about GLBT options (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) for convenience sake, could ever be thought as best characterizing the eternal relationship between God and man? That is, God as known through this actual world, His creation—the God of the Bible.

Scott Johnston, FUS class of ‘01