Crying through the liturgical year, Standing firm on chastity, and Healing from a boyfriend’s hidden lust. | ACW384
Ask Christopher West
Theology of the Body Institute
4.9 • 549 Ratings
🗓️ 11 May 2026
⏱️ 55 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Questions answered this episode:
- “I cry every Christmas season when I reflect on the baby Jesus. Like if I imagine myself holding him. And it's not just at Christmas, I've also cried during Advent, Lent, Holy Week, especially the Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday, and Pentecost Sunday. Sometimes I cry more than the prophet Jeremiah. Do you think I'm experiencing the gift of tears or just something else entirely?”
- "I feel passionately about living out the teachings of Theology of the Body in my life and future marriage. I’m finding a dilemma that many men, Catholic men, want to break off a relationship when they find out I don’t want to have sex or engage in any acts where orgasms are sought separate from sex open to life in marriage. I’ve tried to explain it is about making love and loving one another in the way God loves. But I haven’t been able to get any man to see the beauty and desire this with me, and I’m starting to get discouraged. I’m trusting in God’s plan, but I’m finding temptation to put up with occasional sin in my marriage, hoping that the holy sex will change the man’s heart one day. Can you give me advice?"
- “I feel heartbroken. I found out that my boyfriend's pornography use and social media lust, which I previously thought was in the past, had relapsed and continued throughout our relationship for years without me knowing. He has now stopped and is almost free of this issue. What can I do to make this pain go away? I feel sad to think of him looking at other women that way. How can I still feel like our marriage will be special in that way, if while he was dating me, he chose to look at other women without me knowing? I just want this pain to go away so I can move forward in our relationship without feeling like I won't be enough for him or comparing myself to these women."
Resources:
TOB I: Head & Heart Immersion Course July 14-19, 2026
Ignite Hope Discerning Marriage Retreat Info
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Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | When was the last time you stopped and listened to your body? |
| 0:03.0 | Here's a Holland and Barrett ad break to do just that. |
| 0:06.0 | Go on, tune in. |
| 0:08.0 | Think about your body when you exercise. |
| 0:11.0 | Are those knees creaking? |
| 0:13.0 | Are your muscles ever so slightly aching? |
| 0:16.0 | Or are they trying to say, |
| 0:18.0 | You've got to show me love. |
| 0:21.6 | We know what your body's asking for. |
| 0:24.6 | In store online on the app. |
| 0:26.6 | Back Your Body, Holland and Barrett. |
| 0:33.6 | From The Theology of the Body Institute, this is... |
| 0:38.3 | The Ask Christopher West Podcast. |
| 0:40.3 | Hey, Wendy. |
| 0:52.3 | Yes. Guess what? |
| 0:54.6 | What? |
| 0:55.8 | You already know. |
| 0:59.5 | But not everybody listening knows, so I'm going to tell them. |
| 1:00.4 | Okay. |
| 1:03.9 | I finished my manuscript today. |
| 1:08.0 | That is so awesome. |
| 1:11.2 | I thought you finished it yesterday. |
... |
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