God's Plan for You (Revised) E-Book

David Hajduk

• Herausgeber: anna ruggieri
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

It’s time for an updated, compelling, teen-friendly explanation of God’s plan for life, love, marriage, and sex, in light of St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, and that’s exactly what this book provides. This is a useful update to a very popular book that works well for individual reading but also for group study and discussion. It’s an excellent resource for youth ministers, catechists, pastors, and parents, as well as a must-read for Catholic teens.

Leseprobe

PRAISE FOR GOD’S PLAN FOR YOU

“Engaging from the first page. In a conversational style, David Hajduk, draws you in to explore some of life’s big questions and pulls back the veil so that you can catch a glimpse of God’s glorious plan. He succeeds in the challenging task of making John Paul II’s theology of the body not only accessible to teens, but also attractive and fascinating, a path to follow. A biblically-based antidote to the relativism and subjectivism that surrounds teens today. Complete with discussion questions and quotes for reflection. A fabulous resource for religion classes, youth groups, retreats.”

— Sr. Mary Elizabeth Wusinich, SV,Vicar General of the Sisters of Life

“In his updated book, God’s Plan for You, David Hajduk’s crisp and engaging writing style brings to life the theology of the body in an a way which ‘thinks with the Church’ and provides a roadmap to purity and virtue.”

— Allan F. Wright, author; adjunct professor of theologyand Catholic studies, Seton Hall University

“In his theology of the body, Saint John Paul II shares deep truths about the significance of our existence, our bodies, and our relationships. Our culture, loudly and brazenly, speaks lies to students daily. Communicating the beautiful truth of the theology of the body and the vocation God himself has placed on every person can be a daunting task, but David Hajduk has accomplished it brilliantly. He tackles all of the ‘tough’ issues with clarity and grace and gives students the opportunity to THINK and assimilate these life-changing values.”

—Pam Stenzel, M.A., chastity speaker, author,Enlighten Communications

“Speaking to both head and heart, David Hajduk has written a book that leaves the reader with the sure and certain conviction: this is true.”

—Fr. James Cuddy, OP, STL, pastor,Saint Joseph’s Church, Greenwich Village

“By weaving in modern-day media and humor, Hajduk relates to the reader … Every teenager should read this book as ‘how-to’ guide to growing up and finding love by first finding our roots in God.”

—Kaylin Koslosky, co-founder, www.restoreyourcrown.com;blogger at www.chastityproject.com

“David Hajduk’s approach bears the marks of many questions from challenging youth and lessons learned from his own fatherhood. I truly appreciate how he helps us understand JPII within the pastoral context of The Joy of the Gospel. A great read for those who want a common-sense approach.”

—Fr. Agustino Torres, CFR, founder,Corazón Puro and Latinos Por la Vida

“Already one of my favorite theology of the body reads, Hajduk’s refresh of God’s Plan for You elevates it to ‘must-read’ status for our ‘This is my body/This is not my body’ world.”

—Damon Owens, Executive Director, joytob.org; formerExecutive Director, Theology of the Body Institute

“David Hajduk is an enthusiastic, reliable, and accessible communicator of Saint John Paul’s theology of the body for teens. I highly recommend this work.”

—Dr. Petroc Willey, Director, Office of Catechetics,Franciscan University of Steubenville

“God’s Plan for You: Life, Love, Marriage and Sex is a timely and most welcome book. In language that speaks directly to young people, the author gently leads his readers into a healthy understanding of human sexuality. Pope John Paul II’s theology of the body is made not only accessible, but inviting for young people. The author’s use of Scripture helps the reader connect theology and revelation. His ample use of anecdotes and examples anchors the truths of faith in life. A great book. A most useful tool.”

— Most Rev. Arthur J. Serratelli,Bishop of Paterson, New Jersey

“I really enjoyed reading God’s Plan for You. In it, David takes the beautiful teachings of our Church and the words of Pope John Paul the Great and puts them in terms that all can understand. This book beautifully weaves together God’s great design for life, love, marriage, and sex. I appreciated the fact that David always refers back to Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church as the basis for each of his points. Young people today are struggling to hear and really live the truth. This book boldly and yet lovingly lays out God’s truth. I thank David for giving me a great resource which I can use with the campus ministry program that my wife and I lead in our home town.”

— Tony MelendezComposer and musician

“In a world that bombards all of us, and particularly young people, with deceptive and confusing messages about the gift of our sexuality, David has put together an indispensable resource. His humor and personality shine through even as he deals with difficult topics, and the message is right on the money. He has brought both The Theology of the body and Church teaching in the Catechism into clear focus and everyday language. I am inspired by this book, knowing the power that it has to change lives.”

— Steve AngrisanoYouth minister, singer, and songwriter

God’s planfor you

Life, Love, Marriage & Sex

SECOND EDITION

By David Hajduk

Foreword to the Second Edition by Sr. Helena Burns, FSP

Nihil Obstat:

Christopher P. Klofft, S.T.D.

Imprimatur:

✠ Seán Cardinal O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap.

Archbishop of Boston

June 30, 2017

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Hajduk, David (David Charles), author.

Title: God’s plan for you : life, love, marriage & sex / by David Hajduk; foreword by Helena Burns, FSP.

Description: Boston, MA : Pauline Books & Media, 2018. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017017673 | ISBN 9780819831392 (pbk.) | ISBN 0819831395 (pbk.) ISBN 9780819831408 (ePub.)

Subjects: LCSH: Marriage--Religious aspects--Catholic Church. | Sex--Religious aspects--Catholic Church. | Catholic Church--Doctrines. | Teenagers--Sexual behavior. | Teenagers--Conduct of life. | Teenagers--Religious life.

Classification: LCC BX2250 .H26 2018 | DDC 248.8/3--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017017673

Many manufacturers and sellers distinguish their products through the use of trademarks. Any trademarked designations that appear in this book are used in good faith but are not authorized by, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the Catholic Edition of Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1965, 1966, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Some Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament and Revised Psalms © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America, copyright © 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. — Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

Excerpts from papal and magisterium texts copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Excerpts from the English translation of The Order of Celebrating Matrimony © 2013, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

Texts contained in this work derived whole or in part from the liturgical texts copyrighted by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) have been published here with the confirmation of the Committee on Divine Worship, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. No other texts in this work have been formally reviewed or approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Cover design by Putri Magdalena Mamesah, FSP

Cover photo istockphoto.com/© LittleBee80

Artwork of Pope John Paul II by Norm Dapito, copyright © 2006, Daughters of St. Paul

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

“P” and PAULINE are registered trademarks of the Daughters of St. Paul.

Copyright © 2018, 2006, David Charles Hajduk

Published by Pauline Books & Media, 50 Saint Paul’s Avenue, Boston, MA 02130-3491

www.pauline.org

Pauline Books & Media is the publishing house of the Daughters of St. Paul, an international congregation of women religious serving the Church with the communications media.

For my father,the “man behind the man,”who by his words and example has taught mewhat it means to love as God loves.

CONTENTS

Foreword to the Second Edition

Foreword to the First Edition

Acknowledgments

CHAPTER 1

The Cosmic Prequel

CHAPTER 2

The Key to a Rich Life

CHAPTER 3

A Striking Similarity

CHAPTER 4

Our Bodies Are Us!

CHAPTER 5

Lessons in Loneliness

CHAPTER 6

A Match Made in Heaven

CHAPTER 7

God Is Pro-Life!

CHAPTER 8

Gone Fishing

CHAPTER 9

The Great Divorce

CHAPTER 10

Fashion Statements

CHAPTER 11

Hearts Too Hard to Love

CHAPTER 12

The Divine Do-Over

CHAPTER 13

A Model Marriage

CHAPTER 14

Body Language

CHAPTER 15

A Family Affair

CHAPTER 16

The Final Chapter

Notes

Bibliography

FOREWORD TO THE SECOND EDITION

It isn’t easy being in your teens. You couldn’t pay me enough to relive those years. But I not only survived, I thrived. Why? Because, God. I got to know God when I was fifteen (I didn’t really believe in God before then). Knowing God meant that my world got a whole lot bigger. I got to be part of something bigger than just my little self and my little world with all my problems that seemed so overwhelming at the time. And best of all, I came to understand that God LOVES me and that this earth isn’t all there is. God is waiting for me in heaven, and he’s more excited for me to go there and be with him than I am.

So what does knowing God have to do with your life? Everything. You came from God (who is Love) and are going back to God (who is Love), and life is short. It’s illogical to try to live our lives without God (or basically just ignoring God, which is called “practical atheism”). It doesn’t make sense not to let God, our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier into our lives: the only One who can truly help us, who’ll always be there for us, who never gives up on us.

“Theology of the Body” is a primary, indispensable way to get to know God—through our own bodies. If we are made “in the image of God,” then our bodies are theology textbooks. Did you, perhaps, think it was only your soul that was made in the image of God? Nope. We are one person: body and soul. We can’t have only one part of us made in the image of God. In fact, an “image” is something you can see. Can you see your soul? No. Can you see your body? Yes. Boom. We need to learn to read and hear “the language of the body” to understand who we are and what the meaning of our life is.

If we don’t know who we are, we’ll spend our lives searching for our identity, online and offline. Satan always offers us false identities. It’s what he does (identity theft). Starting in the Garden of Eden, he told Adam and Eve that they were not beloved children of God, that there were not like God, that God was not good. Satan was telling them to trust him instead of God.

Probably all our lives we’ve heard: “We’re all children of God!” Even people with very little faith usually have a sense of that and can agree with that. BUT—who teaches us to grow up in God, to become men and women of God? We may have had faith in God when we were little, but then puberty hits. Whoa. Suddenly we have all kinds of new feelings, and not just sexual urges. We also begin to feel a deep ache, a deep longing to love and be loved at our deepest levels. And who the heck is helping us with that?

So often it’s at puberty that we may begin to drift away from God because our childish faith no longer matches our new reality. But this shouldn’t be! It’s our capacity to know and to love that makes us most like God, and this is expressed in a profound way through our sexuality. As we mature, we grow in our ability to participate in God’s love and life in a new, fuller, and mature way. At the time in our lives when we most need God, we may tend to think he only loved us when we were little kids and didn’t have all kinds of sexual feelings, problems, and weren’t making sexual mistakes. Nothing could be further from the truth. Because this ache, this longing, is not only for another person who will love us for a lifetime. We are longing for Ultimate Love, for God, who will love us forever. God doesn’t just love part of us! He loves us with all our sexual hang-ups, and he wants to help us navigate them so that they can even become a way of sharing in his love and his life—so that the body will reveal all of its beauty to us. When we try to “use” beauty for our own selfish gratification, it hides its secrets, because beauty can’t be used.

Theology of the body is all about teaching us how to grow up in God and toward God—not away from God—to the “full stature of Christ” (Eph 4:13). God wants to talk to you, face to face, as the amazing adult man or woman you’re becoming: “Come now, and let us reason together” (Is 1:18). You are precious to him.

Our culture hasn’t given up on love, sex, beauty, the body, or relationships. But do you think the culture knows what all these things really are, really mean, and how to best live them? You can be the generation that turns a “culture of death” into a culture of life, love, and beauty.

Theology of the body isn’t about what you can’t have, it’s about what you can have. Theology of the body isn’t a bunch of external requirements imposed on us from the outside. It’s about what the internal requirements of true love and true sex challenge us to, if we want to get the most out of them.

Theology of the body is not a bunch of rules. Theology of the body doesn’t say: “Do this, don’t do that.” It says: “This is who you are. Now go forth and live it.” And don’t forget, God loves you. He is for you, not against you. He’s on your side, in your corner. Deal with it.

SR. HELENA BURNS, FSP1

FOREWORD TO THE FIRST EDITION

Saint John Paul II changed my life.

When I first heard of his theology of the body, I was a senior in college and a “nice Catholic girl.” By that, I mean that I went to Mass on Sunday and tried to avoid committing the really big sins. I followed the rules because I knew they were the rules. I have to admit, I wasn’t entirely sure why they were the rules, or why I was supposed to follow them. I knew I wasn’t supposed to steal or kill because that hurt people. And I abstained from sexual activity because I didn’t want to get pregnant and didn’t want to make God mad.

Compelling, but not particularly positive reasons.

All of that changed when a series of four speakers came in to talk to us about John Paul II and the theology of the body. I was completely blown away. I saw “the rules” in a whole new light. God’s laws—his morality—are about love! He has a plan for our lives and for our bodies. When he says “Thou shalt not …” it’s because if we “shalt,” we’ll end up hurting ourselves and hurting our ability to love.

I saw in particular how the Catholic Church’s teaching on human sexuality was based on love. We’re created for love. We hunger for love. And we think somehow that “making love” will help us to live love.

It doesn’t work that way. Living God’s plan—chastity—helps us find and live love.

I thought this news was so exciting, I decided I wanted to share it with teenagers. I’ve been doing that full time ever since.

Saint John Paul II had an amazing gift for conveying the truths of our faith in a beautiful, positive way. He made Christ’s love so real and so immediate that rules didn’t seem like rules anymore. They are simply a natural response to God’s overwhelming love for us.

From the very beginning of my work with teens and chastity, everything I’ve said or written has been based on the theology of the body. I didn’t go out of my way to advertise that fact in the early years of my ministry, because the word “theology” freaked people out. But Saint John Paul II changed even that. Now the theology of the body is actually “cool.” People are excited about it; they want to learn about it.

Fortunately, you have an excellent opportunity to do just that. David Hajduk shares my enthusiasm for the work of Saint John Paul II, and he has captured the Holy Father’s message in the book you hold in your hands. Take full advantage of this opportunity. Read it. Re-read it. Think about it. Pray to understand it on a deeper and deeper level.

Saint John Paul II’s signature phrase was “Be not afraid.” I want you to remember that as you read this book. God is madly in love with you. He wants what is best for you. Most of all, God wants to have a relationship with you. He wants you to share eternal happiness with him in heaven.

God is on your side. And that, my friends, is very, very good news.

Read on …

MARY BETH BONACCI

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank the following people and groups of people, who are all truly collaborators in the work you hold in your hands:

Shannon, my wife and true companion, for the life we have built and continue to build together by allowing ourselves, however imperfectly, to be guided by God’s plan from “the beginning.” Our love story is both the inspiration and richest resource for my writing.

My children, who showed so much excitement about their daddy writing a book, even though it meant days when I may have seemed to spend more time with the computer than with them.

My parents, for always believing that I could accomplish great things if I worked hard, and for being unwavering in their thinking that I’m the best thing since sliced bread.

My friends, who believed in me and who, if they ever got tired of discussing the book, never once let on, especially Catzel LaVecchia and Marie Ryan.

The religious educators and youth ministers who reviewed my initial manuscript, believed in the value of the project, and offered their professional advice, especially Joel Peters, Michael St. Pierre, and Allan Wright.

All the young people I have had the pleasure to teach or minister to over the years, who, whether they knew it or not, were in a way “writing” this book.

Mary Beth Bonacci, for taking time out of her busy schedule to write the foreword.

Pauline Books & Media and their associates—especially Sr. Donna Giaimo, Sr. Marianne Lorraine Trouvé, Sr. Christina Wegendt, and Mr. Steven Colella—for believing in this project, for their expert advice, and for sharing a passion and vision for reaching young people with the life-giving message of God’s plan for life, love, marriage, and sex!

And to Saint John Paul II for all he has taught me.

CHAPTER 1

THE COSMIC PREQUEL

Some Pharisees approached him, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”

—Matthew 19:3–6 NAB

GOD’S PLAN FOR YOU FROM THE BEGINNING

The first Star Wars movie (Episode IV that is) came out when I was in the first grade, and I eagerly awaited each subsequent episode. My father and I would stand in lines that wrapped around the movie theater and continued for blocks. I had every action figure, as well as the Darth Vader carrying case. I had all the spaceships. I traded Star Wars cards. You get the picture.

So in 1999, when George Lucas began coming out with the prequels, “the story behind the story,” I was pumped up beyond your wildest imagination. I immediately changed from a thirty-year-old man back into a seven-year-old boy, and all was right with the world. My kids instantly morphed into Star Wars junkies. The hours spent jumping around the living room recreating the lightsaber “dual of the fates” between Darth Maul, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Obi-wan Kenobi will be forever etched in our memories. And with the force having been reawakened with the new films, you can only imagine the craze that has overtaken our house once again!

I realize there are a lot of strong opinions out there about the Star Wars prequels, but for me they really helped to shed light on the original three movies. Let’s just say that, watching them, I experienced my share of “a-ha” moments: moments when a light bulb went on in my head and I suddenly realized something I hadn’t before. Well, when Jesus refers the Pharisees back to “the beginning,” to the time when God created human beings and the first human couple, you might say he is reminding them about their “prequel,” about the story behind their story. And since their prequel is everybody’s prequel—including yours and mine—you could call it The Cosmic Prequel.

Why would Jesus want to take the Pharisees and us back to the beginning and remind us of the story behind our story? Because Jesus wants us to understand what our lives are really all about. He wants us to know God’s plan for us, and he wants us to see how the amazing gifts of love, marriage, and sex are all part of that plan! I really do believe that Jesus hoped (and still hopes) that doing so would give us some serious “a-ha” moments.

WORD TO THE WISE

Pontificate is a fancy word meaning the Holy Father’s time as pope.