Let’s talk about Love & Sexuality

(A reflection from Juan Ekis’ 20 Questions from Friends of Educhild & Theatre Titas played last September 7, 2024)

What is Love? Is it contrary to what sexuality is? In his encyclical Deus Caritas Est, Pope Benedict XVI says that today, the term “love” has become one of the most frequently used and misused words, a word to which we attach quite different meanings. Some of the young today define love as something pleasurable; something that satisfies their longings which is true in a positive way. However, there are still those individuals who want to feel love, be loved, and find a magical experience of love. On the one hand, sexuality is said to be a source of joy and pleasure (CCC 2362). We believe that God found everything he created to be “very good”, and, the Church teaches that the human body and sex must likewise be good. Every individual is created by God in His image, so, therefore, all has great dignity including their sexuality.

When we speak about love and sexuality, we cannot separate these from the context of marital life. But what exactly are these three—love, sex, and marriage? The Second Vatican Council affirmed that “the actions within marriage, by which the couple are united intimately and chastely, are noble and worthy ones. Expressed in a truly human manner, these actions promote that mutual self-giving by which spouses enrich each other with a joyful and ready will” (GS 49). This mutual self-giving stems from the love shared by the spouses, not influenced or imposed by anyone else.

Juan Ekis’ play 20 Q’s, presented by Friends of Educhild and Theatre Titas, was a conversational dialogue between two individuals that explored love, sex, relationships, and life. The play provided a glimpse into the realities of the present day without forcing any specific perspective on the audience. While it served as an eye-opener, its primary focus was on reflection rather than persuasion. As a whole, it conveyed the essential message that love and sex were intrinsically connected and should not be separated. These gifts, created with intention, had a deeper purpose. Love was meant to be understood as God intended, and sexuality was regarded as a precious gift. Sex, in this context, was not a mere recreational pastime, but something that required time and maturity to fully appreciate. As the actors poignantly expressed, “Maturity has nothing to do with age, but it has everything to do with time.” Ultimately, if someone truly loved another, they did not dwell on the past with contempt, but embraced the present and future as a gift. (Sem. Resty Cabahug)