We know that by grace we are adopted children of God members of Christ and temples of Holy Spirit. By virtue of our Christian vocation, chastity is demanded of us. It is called the index virtue because it was one of the most distinctive virtues, which followed the establishment of the religion of Christ. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly (Jn. 10:10). He founded a new family, each member bearing within himself, by Baptism, the seed of eternal life and destined to be nourished by the heavenly food of the Eucharist. As a result of this mystery of grace and divine love, we are, in a mysterious way, one with Jesus. "You are the body of Christ" (1 Cor 12:27). Therefore, our new birth to life in Christ gives us new obligation to be worthy of Him who is the Head of that Body. Elsewhere, St. Paul tells that we must "glorify God in our body". This can be done only when, in our body, we show forth spiritual beauty and glory of a true Christian.
It is easy to understand why St. Paul emphasized the malice of impurity by instilling in early converts the dignity of the body of the Christian. "Every other sin a man commit is outside his body, but the fornicator sins against his own body. You must know that your body is the temple of Holy Spirit"(1 Cor. 1: 18-19).
Thus it is clear that Chastity should be practiced by all including those in the married state because only in chastity can true love exist. Take away chastity and there will be no real charity or true love.
Family members who want to cultivate real love and affection ought to value chastity."All good things come from chastity", St. Don Bosco used to say and conversely proportional, "all bad things result where there is not chastity." Couples should observe conjugal chastity. The marriage bed must be honored because sex is holy and should be used for the twofold purpose of union and procreation.
A good family helps build a good and morally upright nation. If the youth are the future of the world, then they must be taught the right things in life. They must be prepared to become good and chaste citizens if we want our world to be better place to live in. Soon, they to will become parents. They should then be prepared for a good marriage, which can only be attained if they lived chaste and holy, lives while still young.
Needless to say, priests and bishops ought to preserve their chastity or celibacy. If they become lax and let the urge of the flesh have its way, their credibility is lost. As teachers and evangelizers of the faith, they are to be exemplify the virtue of chastity. They can only become real guide to families if they are chaste. Otherwise they cannot advise erring families. They must treasure chastity or celibacy as their most precious gift because it is a sign of the totality of their love for God.
If we are single or unmarried, we remain chaste by NOT engaging in any sexual activity that violates the Sixth and Ninth Commandments of God. However, stricter observance of the virtue of chastity is expected of all those in the religious life, the priesthood and consecrated life.
Married couples must be faithful to their licit and valid spouse. Observing conjugal chastity also means, of course, the avoidance of extramarital relationships.
Through movements like Jesus Youth, many of the teenagers, all over the world discover, that God can be understood by simple ordinary youth, and after experiencing God, they will not settle for anything less. They value their purity and chastity as much as they value their prayer life. Virginity prepares them for the real vocation in life.
Thousands of teenagers around the world have now joined the cause for virginity, to save the family. Indeed, there is much to hope for!
"Chastity is the guarantee of genuine charity. It prevents the lover from possessing his beloved because he loves God above all creatures. The reason is most compelling when we consider Christian life and teaching" (Fr. Edgardo Arellano)
Bensilal Chacko, DE, USA.
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