English
EspañolTrue love improves its lovers. It does so “gradually,” climbing step by step, harvesting in a way customized to each couple’s circumstances.
Text
“Saint John Paul II proposed the so-called “law of gradualness” in the knowledge that the human being “knows, loves and accomplishes moral good by different stages of growth.” This is not a “gradualness of law” but rather a gradualness in the prudential exercise of free acts on the part of subjects who are not in a position to understand, appreciate, or fully carry out the objective demands of the law. For the law is itself a gift of God which points out the way, a gift for everyone without exception; it can be followed with the help of grace, even though each human being “advances gradually with the progressive integration of the gifts of God and the demands of God’s definitive and absolute love in his or her entire personal and social life.” (The Joy of Love, n.295)
Commentary
Rosana is a professor at the University. She has many students whom she loves and who appreciate her. One day, at the end of class, a student – Patricia – approached her and said she wanted to talk to her for a moment. Patricia made this comment: “Professor, I disagree with what you were saying in class about marriage and family. Why the paperwork to get married? Why follow a formality? Why can I not continue living with the guy I love? Why can I not get divorced if things go wrong and give myself a second chance to be happy? However, if I am being honest, I do not know why but I feel that I would also like to have a marriage and a family like the one we studied in class.” Rosana replied, “Then why not? What is stopping you? Let us talk some more.” Indeed, there were many things that Patricia did not know about these topics; she had many doubts that were gradually clarified in the conversations/debates they had.
