Lenten Virtue of the Day: Chastity
What is chastity?
"Chastity is a moral virtue. It is also a gift from God, a grace, a fruit of spiritual effort. The Holy Spirit enables one whom the whom the water of Baptism has regenerated to imitate the purity of Christ." (CCC 2345: 1810)
Chastity in Action:
freedom from pregnancy
freedom from sexual disease
freedom from the use of harmful contraception
freedom from the spiritual, physical, and psychological trauma of abortion
freedom from the harmful destruction of emotions which accompany premarital sex
freedom to dump losers
freedom to pursue your goals
freedom from addiction to sex and pornography
freedom to give and to receive true love
Saint Quotes on Chastity
"Chastity uplifts sex to its true nobility and dignity. It gives sex its true beauty and glory. Chastity enables us, through our sexuality, to give glory to Christ in our body."
~ St. John Chrysostom
In comparison with a chaste soul, all the riches, all the titles and dignities of the earth are contemptible.
~ St. Alphonsus Liguori
"When you decide to live a clean life, chastity will not be a burden on you: it will be a crown of triumph."
~ St. Jose Maria Escriva
Saints you can pray to who will help you remain chaste:
St. Agatha of Rome is the patron saint of bodily purity. Shortly before she became a teenager, she was ordered by a pagan ruler to give up her virginity. When she refused, she was tortured and murdered for her beliefs.
St. Mary Magdalene is the patron saint of sexual temptation. Traditionally, she has been viewed as a prostitute, (we know that she was a "great sinner") but because of Our Lord’s compassion and tender mercy toward her, she completely transformed her way of life and became one of his most devoted disciples.
St. Maria Goretti, the patron saint of purity and chastity was a young Italian girl, attractive, who chose death (in 1902) rather than submit her body to a lustful attacker. She fought for her chastity and thus, gives us all the courage we need to stand up for our beliefs when we are tempted by those who persist in forcing their immodest attacks or perverted perceptions of sexuality upon us. We can pray for her intercession and she will help us resist those people who want to attack us or the world which attempts to devalue our sexuality.
St. Augustine lost his Christian faith in youth and led a wild life. He lived with a woman from the age of 15 through 30, who bore him a son. After many years of this lifestyle, he converted to Christianity as a result of the prayers of his mother, St. Monica.
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the perfect model of chastity and modesty. When we consecrate ourselves totally to her, she will protect and guard us as her precious possession.
~ Copyright Jean M. Heimann 2010
For more information on chastity:
Chastity.com
Chastity, Abstinence, and Dating
Chastity - A Catholic Truth for Catholic Youth
What's wrong with sex before marriage? Why Choose Chastity?
Prayer and Chastity -- Fr. John A. Hardon
Related Posts on Catholic Fire:
Chastity and Purity in Marriage and the Family, Part I
RESTORING YOUR VIRGINITY
15 Ways to Purity For Men
Purity Quotes
Purity on the Internet: New Catholic Website Helps to Fight Porn
I know I'm ancient, but when I was in high school, guys didn't want a girl who had been "around", considering her "used merchandise".
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