Men and women are different? I never would have guessed!

The Today Show this morning seemed very proud of what they considered to be a groundbreaking discovery: Research shows gender affects how our brains work.

I think anyone who considers this a major discovery would be blown away by Theology of the Body. Do they think the only difference between men and women is body parts? Seeing articles like this gives me a new perspective on the importance of the Pope John Paul's work. I guess I take for granted that I recognize the "language of the body" and that men and women are different to their very cores.

To me it is easy to see how lacking this understanding could lead to many errors about what someone believes about the human person and especially sexuality. Maybe this "groundbreaking discovery" can open some eyes that never would have been opened otherwise. Hey, we can always hope and pray for that anyway right?

Why did God bother with penguins anyway?

My wife and I watched March of the Penguins this weekend, and I thought it was very good. If you haven’t seen it, it is about the 70 mile journey emperor penguins make each year to breed. I doubt that this was its purpose, but it is a good analogy for the self-sacrifice that is required in marriage to have a family.

One question that I asked though is, why did God even create these penguins? If God has a purpose for all he does (which he does), then what is his purpose for penguins? There they are, living in what is seemingly the most uninhabitable climate on the planet, and I can’t see any way in which human life would be worse if they were not there. Buy yet God has a plan for having them there. I am sure a biologist would be appalled and have a wonderful explanation for their existence, but until they send me a nasty email, I guess I’ll be in the dark.

An answer that I have come up with though, helps me to understand and appreciate the providence of our God. Say that there was a couple struggling to adjust to married life. Maybe they are trying to balance how to raise a child and build a family and not go crazy. Now say this couple watched this movie, and it fostered a renewed dedication to family and service to each other. Wouldn’t that be all the reason God would need to put penguins on this earth? When I consider God’s abounding love for each and every one of us, I think that sounds reasonable. I believe God would go to the ends of the earth to improve the life of any individual he has ever created. After all he would have died on the Cross to save even one of us. In that perspective, creating a bunch of penguins just to help one person, doesn’t seem that extreme at all.

Husbands love your wives.

This weekend saw one of the most misinterpreted passages of Scripture be read at mass. It truly does have far greater meaning to me now being married. It is one of those reading that I yearn for everyone who hears it to understand its truth. So, rather than ramble on in my own explanation of the reading, I would like to refer you to a beautiful and poignant expounding by Fr. Steven Hamilton of Catholic Ragemonkey. Enjoy!

Wives and husbands, you know what to do!