Nov 29 Wed
Chastity for love of God is a virtue for everyone.
What God asks of us is love. For “the Lord, the teacher of Love, is a jealous lover who asks for all we possess, for all our love. He expects us to offer him whatever we have, following the path he has marked out for each one of us."
Jesus seeks us out amid our daily circumstances, and asks us to give him our heart. Whether in apostolic celibacy or marriage, all must strive to serve God with a sincere heart and clean life. No one is excluded from this divine petition, although the way to practice chastity is different for married people and single people.
We can't allow our heart to harbor any affection that is out of keeping with our supernatural adventure as God's children.
God gives everyone the help they need to be faithful to his Beautiful Love. If at times the flesh pulls us downward, grace pushes us upward: it powerfully cauterizes the wound left by sin and draws our hearts of flesh to the Love of God. St. Josemaría told us: “Generously give God your youthful heart, that wonderful, splendid life: give him your life. Let yours be the sacrifice of Abel, not that of Cain. Abel offered God the best of his flock."
Along our path of love there can come moments of discouragement or physical tiredness, perhaps on account of some human setback or a seemingly insurmountable sense of mediocrity. At such times someone may be tempted to yearn for things they once dreamed of, or for other things which seem attractive and which they had renounced out of love for Christ and, in the case of married people, out of love for another person too.
But we need to remember that we can no longer pose the question in the same terms as before, because what we were in a position to give away has already been given. Now we have to protect something which belongs to another... At times like that, without losing our peace, we need to turn humbly to God.
It is not possible to lead a clean life without God's assistance.
Don't forget that when someone is corrupted by the concupiscence of the flesh, he cannot make any spiritual progress. He cannot do good works.
Each of us here ought to invoke our Lord, and his Blessed Mother, and pray that he will grant us humility and a determination to avail ourselves devoutly of the divine remedy of Confession. Do not let even the smallest focal point of corruption take root in your souls, no matter how tiny it may be. Speak out. When water flows, it stays clean; blocked up, it becomes a stagnant pool full of repugnant filth. What was once drinking water becomes a breeding-ground for insects.
You know as well as I do that chastity is possible, and that it is a great source of joy. We need to say "No", for the sake of the great Love, the Love of loves. Chastity is a joyful affirmation, a triumph.
Video: