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As a former Catholic schoolboy, I've often wondered about this, even obsessed about it. And now when I say "romantic" I mean it in the classic sense: someone who idealizes the notion of love and self-sacrifice (well apart from any reality), as Romeo did in Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet -- someone in love with the idea of love (above and beyond actual sex). And masochists also being people who idealize the PAIN of love and longing. In other words, to suffer pain as a demonstration of the intensity and purity of love, as Jesus Christ did on the cross. Isn't Jesus Christ the ultimate romantic and masochist? He's the Catholic ideal and one I grew up with. In the New Testament, it’s clear that he knew what he was getting into: he could foresee his own crucifixion and he enabled it. How much did Jesus love you? the priests would ask us uniformed kids. Enough to die for you. Not only die for you, but suffer agony for days on a cross, after being humiliated and tortured. This is the kind of love that demolishes any notion of self-hood, both physical and mental. The primitive animal side of us innately strives for self-preservation while the angel, our highest good (and link to God) exists to override that: subdue or deny ourselves, even at the expense of our own lives.
Think of it: Catholicism is obsessed with the idea of suffering, of misery. Christ is at the top of the pyramid because he suffered the most. It was God humiliating Himself and debasing Himself before his own cruel creation: humanity. But the whole religion is full of others who have willingly, gratefully suffered for their love embodied in "God." Masochism is not only implied and appreciated in Catholicism but sublimely cherished. And the reward for all self-sacrificing saints is Heaven.
Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini's "The Ecstasy of St. Teresa"
St. Lucy, "the virgin saint was subjected to a common list of legendary tortures -- burning, boiling oil, teeth drawn, breasts sheared, etc. But it was Lucy's eyes that attracted us, for they were reputedly torn out and miraculously restored." (reference: http://vrc.ucr.edu/luci/StLucy.htm)
St. Sebastian (by Carlo Crivelli)
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MASSAGE
Did you enjoy this blog?
Support this author by purchasing his work: here.
“Richard Perez has the ears of the angels—lend him yours.”
—Barry Gifford, author: WILD AT HEART, PERDITA DURANGO
“Perez's is an exciting talent and his work goes far beyond most of what is published today.”
—Henry Flesh, author: MICHAEL and the Lambda Literary Award-winner,
MASSAGE
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PERMANENT OBSCURITY: Or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography and Death by Dolores Santana (as told to Richard Perez)
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Permanent Obscurity: Or A Cautionary Tale
Of Two Girls
And Their Misadventures
With Drugs, Pornography
And Death
Of Two Girls
And Their Misadventures
With Drugs, Pornography
And Death
by
Dolores Santana
(as told to Richard Perez)
Dolores Santana
(as told to Richard Perez)
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