Chastity is a “moral virtue” and a “fruit of spiritual effort” that by our baptism enables us to imitate the “purity of Christ” as taught by our Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC, 2345). Chastity as a gift from God relevant in all stages or situations in life.
Because these inter-related topics of chastity and purity can be, for many of us, so difficult and sensitive to discuss no matter the age, the earlier that dialogues around these virtues can happen, the better. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can determine those courageous moments to discuss the nature of the fruit of chastity, especially with those we are responsible for and love.
Transitioning from this past month’s devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Catholic Watchmen turn their prayer intentions to the purity of heart, soul, body and mind, to nurture chastity in the way that is appropriate in their state of life. We are asked to pray for purity and the natural order of sexuality. Furthermore, we pray that all — whether married, single or celibate — may embrace chastity to counteract the temptation toward lust, pornography, prostitution and crimes against humanity such as sex trafficking, which disfigure the dignity of women and men of all ages. The natural order of sexuality is a gift from God, and we do not want to distort or disorder this gift.
This is why chastity is such an important topic to discuss and understand, and a key virtue to embrace. It is relevant not only in our personal and home life: Chastity directly or indirectly impacts greater society because it has such an effect on us — bodily, psychologically and spiritually. Jesus hones in on the beatitudinal character of purity: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt 5:8). A pure heart is unblemished by evil and immodest thoughts. Being this mysterious center where thoughts and actions begin, a pure heart can fight all of the aforementioned temptations that, if they materialize, take many victims. Purity of heart as it connects to the virtue of chastity is about self-gift and mutual respect— in body and in spirit — when it comes to the self-mastery of our sexuality.
Many of us learn the value of virtue and the degenerate nature of vice from the school of hard knocks —sometimes later in life than most of us appreciate. We know or we eventually discover — like grasping the skill sets of speaking a second language or playing a musical instrument — that the earlier the learning and practice happens, all the better. Come what may, ascertaining the right moment for those courageous conversations: “when she is ready to understand” or “it’s time for him to learn” is challenging, so we pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially wisdom. What it means to be chaste is the responsibility of the most important of teachers. When a child is baptized, this duty points to the parents, godparents and/or primary guardians of the child’s faith upbringing, those who should know the child best and are to be the best of teachers.
This is why Catholic Watchmen, so that we may be spiritual fathers like St. Joseph, are to teach, protect, and most important, live this virtue of chastity as it applies to each of us in our proper context — married, single or celibate. This virtue is “under that cardinal virtue of temperance, which seeks to permeate the passions and appetites of senses with reason” (CCC, 2341). Keep this understanding in mind when engaging others on this sensitive topic.
The Church does not leave us unarmed when it comes to learning the essence and the value of chastity. There is a section in the Catechism on “The Vocation of Chastity” (CCC, 2337-2359), covered under part of the teaching of the Sixth Commandment: “You shall not commit adultery.” And there are many excellent and resourceful Catholic apostolates that assist parents with preventative and control measures to help protect their children from harmful exposure to pornography. There are accountability ministries and treatment programs that support adults in their fight against sexual impurity. Finally, a big reason the anchor of the Catholic Watchmen’s seven disciplines encourages men to gather regularly in small groups — in prayer, Scripture reading and to discuss spiritual fatherhood — Is because it helps us be accountable to ourselves and to others when it comes to living a life “pure in heart.”
Blessed Mother, seat of wisdom, and St. Joseph, most chaste, pray for us!
Deacon Bird ministers to St. Joseph in Rosemount and All Saints in Lakeville, and assists with the archdiocese’s Catholic Watchmen movement. To receive a tool kit of Watchmen materials for start-up or existing ministry-to-men apostolates please contact him at gordonbird@rocketmail.com.
