How a Man Loves a Woman

tumblr_mv76qlLhs91s1oegho1_1280

By Alex Clark | Guest Blogger

In the beginning, God created Man. Man lived in communion with God and was as he was created to be… until his fall. Since then Man has failed to live up to his original potential. Thankfully though, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word became Flesh.

This act, in addition to resulting in our salvation, restored the possibility for us to become True Man, such as before the fall. As Christ is truly man – man as he should be, in communion with God – and since we are to live as we had died and Christ lives in us, we too may become True Man and share in God’s divinity, since by His resurrection He assumed humanity into the Divine.

That. Is. Big.

The enormity of this point is so utterly compelling that we must, by every fiber of our being, strive to bring it to fruition. To share with the Trinity, to be in communion with the God begs our whole attention. We each must, first and foremost, seek to transform ourselves into not just an image of, but entirely Christ. As we travel down this journey, we realize that God is love. Not merely He is the love felt by humans, but rather He is love. According to St. Augustine, God the Father, who begets God the Son, live in such perfect communion that this love manifests itself as God the Holy Spirit. And He wants us to share in His love.

In addition to sharing in His love ourselves, we are to share His love to others. Firstly, our love is to overflow our cup and spill out into the word, as He wants it to. Secondly, as others are to also be Christ, when we treat them with Christ’s love, we engage in communion with God and both receive and gift His love from and to each other.

The question proposed is how men are to love women. The answer is how Christ loves the Church: He formed her, He protected her, He died for her. These three points enlighten us to the subtleties on loving women.

First and foremost, a man must see in each woman (in each human) their “I” – that is, their identity, self, person. Each is a singular person with a soul, desires and love. When we see a woman as one that God loved – and so we should love – we can desire she live a fulfilling life pleasing to God. We can try to help her with Christ’s love to attain her calling, career, help her spiritual growth, and treat her as she deserves. We can be a True Man to her True Woman.

As we are there for her, we can protect her. This is not to be taken as a chauvinistic ideology. She is capable of protecting herself. Men are to protect women as each needs from physical, emotional, spiritual, or even self-inflicted harm. However you best view this attitude (ie. fatherhood, brotherhood, friendship, protector, self-actualizer… etc.) it is up to you to act in a manner that brings each woman closer to God after interacting with you – help form them to Christ. This may mean, as an example, getting involved with her life or giving space to each as needed.

The difficulty in ascertaining the level each woman needs what further amplifies the need to become a True Man and see her “I”. We need to bring about our conversion to True Man not only because that is such an awe-inspiring possibility, but also so we can truly love another, and then protect them.

Finally, however, we are not to view our protectorate as beneath us. Greater love has no one than this: that one should lay down his life for another. Christ died for the Church so that we may have eternal life. He so valued us that He did what was necessary to atone for our sins. View women (everyone) as so important that you would do anything for their life.

These three points together help nuance a full understanding on how to treat women. However, I haven’t talked of how to love one woman. Your woman. The answer is not much different. The one you fall in love with is another means of encountering Christ. As said, we can encounter Christ in everyone’s life, and your girlfriend/fiancée/wife is a closer way to encounter Him. She is your personal Christ. Also, in the Sacrament of Marriage, we encounter Christ with the union of Man and Woman in a mirror of the union of the Father and Son. The love flowing from marriage is to be like the Holy Spirit flowing from the Father and Son.

When single, look for a woman who could express this union. When dating, ask if you see this union between you two. When married, show this love proudly to the world.

P.S. You are enough.

About Alex: 

I am from Bettendorf, Iowa, though my life has taken me far from there for quite some time. I graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2011 and am currently serving as a helicopter pilot in San Diego, California. I am engaged to a wonderful woman I met in high school. I had fallen into the stereotypical Sunday Christian lifestyle until 2012 when I had a resurgence of my faith. I have been relentlessly pursuing my faith since then, trying to grow closer to God and learn as much as I can about Him.

Related Posts

Send this to a friend