Love for Chastity

By Fr. Conor Donnelly

(Proofread)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

My Lord and my God, I firmly believe that you are here, that you see me, that you hear me. I adore you with profound reverence. I ask your pardon for my sins and grace to make this time of prayer fruitful. My Immaculate Mother, Saint Joseph, my father and lord, my guardian angel, intercede for me.

St. Paul says to the Corinthians, “You will never, ever be tempted beyond your strength” (cf. 1 Cor. 10:13).

The Sadducees came before Jesus and tried to pose before him a moral dilemma. Their intention was to ridicule the widely held Jewish belief in the resurrection of the dead (Luke 20:27-40).

According to Levite law (cf. Deut. 25:5-10), if a man died without leaving issue, then his brother was under obligation to marry the widow, so as to continue his brother's line.

The Sadducees twisted this precept into an argument intended to disprove the resurrection of the body. If each of a series of seven brothers had the same woman as his wife, they asked, at the time of the resurrection: “Whose wife will the woman be?”

The Lord answers this conundrum using texts from the Scriptures. He reaffirms the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and then discusses the certain qualities of those who will be in the glorified state.

God has the power to raise up the dead. He will elevate men and women to equality with angels.

St. Thomas comments, “Because they have immortal souls, they will not marry, for there will be no need for reproduction of the species” (Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on the Gospel of St. Matthew).

Procreation is necessary for the increase of the species here on earth. But life on earth is not definitive in nature. It's a time of testing for eternal life.

The Church teaches us that conjugal love belongs exclusively to the married state, contributing both to procreation and mutual support (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Point 1601).

Christians are encouraged to practice the virtue of chastity or holy purity so that they may faithfully adhere to God's purpose with regard to the gift of the sexual union. This virtue is important because of the disorder found in human nature as a result of original sin and personal sins.

When we practice the virtue of chastity, we seek not only purity of body but also purity of mind and heart.

The Catechism of the Council of Trent said, “We should avoid those thoughts, affections, and desires which separate us from the love of God and the demands of our vocation.”

Without chastity, it is impossible to have true human love, much less true love for God. If a person were to abandon their struggle in the realm of holy purity, they would become subject to the tyranny of the senses.

They would descend to an animal state: “It seems as if your ‘spirit’ were growing smaller, shrinking to a little point. And your body seems to grow and become gigantic, until it gains control” (Josemaría Escrivá, Furrow, Point 841).

The worldly person is incapable of having an authentic friendship with the Lord. In those early days, when the Church was surrounded by a pagan and hedonistic environment, she warned the faithful about “the pleasures of the flesh, which act as cruel tyrants. Once they have enfeebled the soul through impurity, they render the soul incapable of doing good works” (St. Ambrose, Treatise on Virginity).

The practice of holy purity disposes the soul to the love of God and apostolate. Chastity is by no means a negative virtue: don't do this and don't do that. Chastity has to do with giving one's heart to God.

In Christ Is Passing By, St. Josemaría says, “It is a joyful affirmation” (J. Escrivá, Christ Is Passing By, Point 5).

Chastity is a virtue for everyone. Each one should practice this virtue according to his or her own vocation in life.

For those who are married, the practice of chastity leads to a stronger and more lasting love based on profound mutual respect.

One writer comments, “This love transforms conjugal relations and uplifts them to the highest dignity of the person, while respecting all the while their physical nobility.

“When the husband and wife consider that their love can be the cause of new life, then they will find their physical union to be an authentic expression of love. … On the contrary, if this love is removed from sex, if the physical union is nothing more than selfishness, then the person loses their dignity while simultaneously profaning the dignity of their partner.

“One of the surest guarantees of chastity in marriage is a strong and tender love for one another. ‘But,’ says St. Paul, ‘there is still a higher cause.’ He teaches us that chastity is a ‘fruit of the Spirit’ (cf. Gal 5:22). In other words, it is a consequence of divine love.

“If we are to live holy purity in marriage, we need to develop a deep love and respect for our spouse, but we also need to have a great love for God. Anyone who wants to follow Jesus Christ will find that the practice of chastity is indispensable.

“When we live holy purity well, we become united in a special way with Jesus Christ. We draw near to God, just as Jesus promised to the pure of heart (cf. Matt. 5:8)” (J. M. Martinez Doral, The Holiness of Conjugal Life in “Scripta Theologica” Journal).

Purity is neither the first nor the most important virtue. Christian life can't be reduced to the pursuit of purity. But we know that without purity there can be no love.

People don't understand purity, chastity, modesty, virginity, celibacy, because they don't understand love.

Charity is the most important virtue. It's the fulfillment of all the virtues, and therefore, the crucial nature of purity. Without chastity, human love becomes corrupted.

For those who have received the vocation to marriage, their sanctification lies in the faithful fulfillment of their conjugal duties. This is how they are to encounter God.

For those who have received the vocation to apostolic celibacy, their sanctification lies in a life of complete generosity to Our Lord, “with an undivided heart,” as St. Paul says (cf. 1 Cor. 7:33-34), without the mediation of an earthly love.

We know that Our Lady is the sublime model for both maternity and virginity. Many people like to call her the Blessed Virgin Mary.

At the same time, she is Our Mother. It was God's wish that His Mother would also be a Virgin. So, we can say that virginity is highly esteemed by God.

This condition sends a message to the men and women of every age to the effect that the satisfaction of the sexual urge does not pertain to the perfection of the person.

“Those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage,” said Our Lord (Luke 20:35).

John Paul II has said, “There is a condition of life without marriage, in which man, male and female, finds at the same time the fullness of personal donation and of the intersubjective communion of persons, thanks to the glorification of his entire psychosomatic being in the eternal union with God.

“When the call to continence ‘for the kingdom of heaven’ finds an echo in the human soul…it is not difficult to perceive there a particular sensitiveness of the human spirit, which already in the conditions of the present temporal life seems to anticipate what man will share in, in the future resurrection” (John Paul II, Address, March 10, 1982).

Virginity and apostolic celibacy are an earthly foretaste or anticipation of heaven.

In like manner, the Church has always taught that sex is “not a shameful thing. It is a divine gift, ordained to life, to love, and to fruitfulness. This is the context in which we must see the Christian doctrine on sex.

“Our faith does not ignore anything on this earth that is beautiful, noble, and authentically human” (J. Escrivá, Christ Is Passing By, Point 24).

Those who choose to give themselves completely to God, says St. John Paul II, “do not do so because ‘it is inexpedient to marry’ or because of a supposed negative value of marriage, but in view of the particular value connected with this choice and which must be discovered and welcomed personally as one's vocation.

“For that reason, Christ says, ‘He who is able to receive this, let him receive it’ (Matt. 19:12)” (John Paul II, loc. cit.).

Our Lord has given each one of us a specific mission to fulfill on this earth. He's immensely pleased whenever we fulfill our responsibilities with joy and generosity.

The testimony given by Christians of lives ordered to God's love is a treasure the Church presents to the world. It's a proof of the reality of God's love.

St. John Paul has also said, “Continence ‘for the kingdom of heaven’ bears, above all, the imprint of the likeness to Christ who, in the work of redemption, did himself make this choice ‘for the kingdom of heaven’” (John Paul II, Address, March 24, 1982).

The apostles followed the example of Christ. As a result, they departed from the tradition of the Old Covenant where physical procreation was the only form of fecundity. The apostles became convinced that celibacy allowed a person to follow Christ more closely and bring to fruition His apostolic charge.

Pope John Paul has shown how the apostles gradually came to the realization of “that spiritual and supernatural fruitfulness of man which comes from the Holy Spirit” (ibid.).

In our times it may be that many, if not most people, find it very difficult to understand the virtue of chastity. They don't see the point of anybody’s living apostolic celibacy or virginity in the middle of the world.

The first Christians came up against the same kind of difficulties in a fiercely hostile environment.

That's why our apostolate on behalf of chastity ought to include the practice of its related virtues. Through our cheerful and friendly behavior, we should make chastity attractive to others. We need to sow abundant doctrine about this virtue.

We need to take care of the way we dress, in the way we exercise and pursue recreation. When a conversation takes a bad turn, we shouldn't be afraid to cut short an impure discussion.

We should also reject bad forms of entertainment. But above all, we need to give a cheerful example with our own life.

We should explain to our friends the beauty of this virtue, and how it is that many good fruits come from the practice of chastity—a greater capacity for love, generosity, joy, spiritual refinement.

We should proclaim loud and clear that purity is possible, as long as we use the means that have been recommended by the Church for centuries: guarding the senses, avoiding occasions of sin, modesty, moderation in entertainment, temperance, frequent recourse to prayer and the sacraments, especially the sacrament of Confession, sincerity, and last but not least, a tender love for Our Lady (The Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration on Certain Questions Concerning Sexual Ethics).

St. Paul has told us that we “shall never be tempted beyond our strength” (cf. 1 Cor. 10:13).

Following Our Lord's lead, St. Paul asked the first Christians to avoid giving scandal, particularly to those who have little formation. “Only take care,” he says, “lest this liberty of yours somehow becomes a stumbling block to the weak” (1 Cor. 8:9).

We exercise a great influence on those among whom we live. We should try and give good examples to the people around us.

Our Lord preached His doctrine fearlessly, even though He knew the Pharisees would take offense (cf. Matt. 15:12-14).

This was a case of false scandal. It arises when people are not willing to accept the truth and look for contradictions or excuses instead.

We see instances of this in our own time. People pretend to be scandalized because a couple has many children, because they're happy with what God has given them, because they've chosen to live their Christian vocation to the full.

A faithful Christian will often find that his or her behavior is frequently at odds with a pagan environment. He or she may “scandalize” many people.

St. Peter recognized this clash of values when he described Christ using words from the prophet Isaiah: “A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall” (Isa. 8:14, cf. 1 Pet. 2:8). This was also Simeon's prophecy to Our Lady (cf. Luke 2:34-35).

We shouldn't be surprised if the same thing happens to us. However, we should try as much as possible to practice charity with other people. We shouldn't seek out confrontation.

We could remember that Our Lord sent Peter to pay the Temple tribute, even though He was not obliged to do so. Our Lord didn't want to shock the tax collectors who considered Our Lord an exemplary Jew (cf. Matt. 17:24-27).

We'll never be lacking in opportunities to imitate Our Lord in this regard. St. Josemaría in The Way says, “I don't doubt your good intentions. I know you act in the presence of God. But (and there is a ‘but’), your actions are witnessed or may be witnessed by men who judge by human standards. … And you must set a good example for them” (J. Escrivá, The Way, Point 275).

Scandal becomes particularly deleterious when it emanates from people who enjoy a certain measure of public authority or prestige: parents, teachers, government officials, writers, artists, and from anyone who has responsibility for forming others.

St. John [of Ávila] commented, “If the simple folk live in a lukewarm state, the situation is regrettable. They hurt themselves, but a remedy is possible.

“If, however, it is the teachers who are lukewarm, then the Lord's warning must needs be considered: ‘Woe to him by whom they come!’ (Luke 17:1). Great harm can come from their lukewarmness, because it will easily spread to others and dampen their spiritual fervor” (John of Ávila, Sermon).

Our Lord wants us to be aware of the good and the evil that we can do by the words we speak.

We are told in The Way: “Can you know what damage you do throwing stones with your eyes blindfolded? Neither do you know—because you’re blinded by thoughtlessness or passion—the harm you produce, at times very great, dropping uncharitable comments that to you seem trifling” (J. Escrivá, The Way, Point 455).

The person who is responsible for the scandal has the obligation to repair the damage they have done. This obligation is one of charity and, at times, one of justice.

Public scandal calls for public reparation. And because often it's impossible to make sufficient reparation, there remains the obligation of further prayer and penance. A contrite soul will always find the most charitable way to repair the damage done.

The exalted dignity of man was already present from the moment of Creation. It acquired its full expression with the Incarnation of the Word (Tertullian, On the Resurrection).

Pope St. John Paul said that each and every man has been “included in the mystery of the Redemption, and with each one Christ has united himself for ever through this mystery.

“Every man comes into the world through being conceived in his mother's womb and being born of his mother, and precisely on account of the mystery of the Redemption is entrusted to the solicitude of the Church.

“Her solicitude is about the whole man and is focused on him in an altogether special manner. The object of her care is man in his unique unrepeatable human reality, which keeps intact the image and the likeness of God himself (cf. Gen. 1:26)” (John Paul II, Encyclical, Redemptor hominis, Point 13, March 4, 1979).

St. Thomas teaches that our divine affiliation, commenced in the soul through grace, will be consummated by the glorification of the body. Just as our soul has been redeemed from sin, so too our body will be redeemed from the corruption of death (Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans).

Quoting St. Paul, he said, “Our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power which enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Phil. 3:20-21).

Our Lord will transform our weak and corruptible bodies into a glorious state. We must never be lacking in respect for our body. Neither should we worship it as if it were our final abode.

We have to exercise control over our body through mortification and penance; otherwise, as St. Josemaría says in The Way, it will “turn traitor” (J. Escrivá, The Way, Point 196).

St. Paul says, “You are not your own; you were bought with a great price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

John Paul II said: “Purity, as the virtue, that is, the capacity of ‘controlling one's body in holiness and honor’ (cf. 1 Thess. 4:4), together with the gift of piety, as the fruit of the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in the ‘temple’ of the body, brings about in the body such a fullness of dignity in interpersonal relations that God himself is thereby glorified.

“Purity is the glory of the human body before God. It is God's glory in the human body, through which masculinity and femininity are manifested (John Paul II, Address, Theology of the Body, March 18, 1981).

Our Lady, who was assumed body and soul into heaven, will remind us at every opportunity that our body has been created to give glory to God, both now here on earth and forever in heaven.

I thank you, my God, for the good resolutions, affections, and inspirations that you have communicated to me during this meditation. I ask your help to put them into practice. My Immaculate Mother, Saint Joseph, my father and lord, my guardian angel, intercede for me.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

EW