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The Nuptial Meaning of the Body         

When God created the first man, he was alone.  He was able to name the other animals and by way of negation say, “this is not me.” He was alone, not like the others and he realized it.  God stated, “it is not good that man should be alone.” God then created a woman.  John Paul states, “He realizes it (the essence of the person) only by existing "with someone"--and even more deeply and completely--by existing "for someone."”(TB, 1.9.1980)  The body is nuptial in itself.  Man and women are made for one another, quite literally.  They only can come to know themselves within the other.  It is the giving of the gift of one's self.  One completely gives of one’s own self to the other, and by this they can truly know themselves.  It is only in “existing for” that one can have his fulfillment.  The Nuptial Meaning of the Body is the existence for the other.  One must freely give of themselves to the other.  It is through such giving that the Nuptial Meaning of the Body is displayed.  The Nuptial Meaning of the Body is the giving of this free gift of one's self and the consciousness of the body as a symbol of God's Image and Likeness.

Quotes from the Section:

"It is certainly implicit in man's original happiness, and constitutes that happiness which belongs to the mystery of creation effected by love, which belongs to the essence of creative giving."

"There is a deep connection between the mystery of creation, as a gift springing from love, and that beatifying "beginning" of the existence of man as male and female, in the whole truth of their body and their sex, which is the pure and simple truth of communion between persons."

"None of these beings (animalia) offered man the basic conditions which make it possible to exist in a relationship of mutual giving."

"The gift reveals, so to speak, a particular characteristic of personal existence, or rather, of the essence of the person. When God-Yahweh said, "It is not good that man should be alone," (Gn 2:18) he affirmed that "alone," man does not completely realize this essence. He realizes it only by existing "with someone"--and even more deeply and completely--by existing "for someone.""