Feeling burdened?

OK, we are a week into the new year. Are you being bombarded with commercials and advertisements for every kind of diet and weight loss product on the market? It only makes sense because for the next few weeks — or months — depending on how long the motivation lasts, a good number of people will be trying to shed some unwanted pounds.

The goal is a noble one, but what about a different kind of weight loss regimen for 2016? I’m thinking of one that will lighten your spiritual load.

Spiritual baggage is what weighs on our conscience. It could be an unresolved issue that keeps resurfacing, or a nagging feeling that we ought to do something about a particular issue. Spiritual baggage are those items we ignore or think, “I’ll get around to that someday.” Maybe you haven’t been to confession for years. Maybe there is someone in your life you need to forgive. Or maybe there’s something in Church teaching that you disagree with, and you’ve been going your own way.

At CCL we meet a lot of couples who have never explored why the Catholic Church teaches it’s wrong to use contraception. We have also witnessed the positive effects couples experience once they do explore and understand this teaching and decide to switch to NFP. Many of them tell us they feel a new spirit of freedom and an ability to love their spouse in a deeper, more meaningful way.

Fortunately, nowadays there are more resources available than ever before that explain Church teaching on sensitive issues like sex and birth control in interesting, highly digestible language. Maybe 2016 is the year you or someone you know will delve into the “why behind the what” on the Church’s contraception ban. Here are some helpful resources to consider.

Introductory online articles

Contraception and the Language of the Body

Married Love and the Gift of Life

Books

The Good News about Sex and Marriage: Answers to your honest questions about Catholic Teaching

Men, Women and the Mystery of Love

Holy Sex!: Your Catholic Guide to Toe-Curling, Mind-blowing, Infallible Loving

Sex Au Naturel: What It Is and Why It’s Good for Your Marriage

Don’t like to read?

CDs and DVDs from Ascension Press

Another great way to learn more is by taking an NFP course with CCL. We offer classes to suit a variety of schedules and learning preferences. To learn more visit https://ccli.org/learn-nfp-from-ccl/

— Sarah Drew
Assistant Editor