Five Obstacles to Attaining Purity of Heart
Jesus taught this message with utmost clarity in the Sermon on the Mount, starting with the Beatitude: "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God." (Mt. 5:8)
1. Our Three major obstacles
- the devil,
- the flesh,
- and the world, that is, wrong examples or lifestyles.
The world strives to present to us glamour, immodesty, impurity, and sexual license as totally normal and acceptable.
Yet as a result of Original Sin, we are conceived and born with concupiscence and a tendency toward sin. Among these is that of the Capital Sin of Lust which can be defined concisely as: "A disordered desire for sexual pleasure."
2. Immodesty
Immodesty in all forms is the gateway by which many sins of impurity are unfortunately committed.
3. Phones, Social Media, & the Internet
All of these can be used for the honor and glory of God—for preaching the Good News of the Gospel, as efficacious tools for evangelization, as the means to convert and save souls. But they can also be used for incalculable evil.
4. Pornography
By far, it is the most pervasive, influential, and dominant vice and addiction. Its influence is devastating, to say the least.
What then are the common effects of porn use?
a) Persons Become Objects
b) Polluted Mind
Instead of looking up to heaven, the individual focuses their eyes and attention on the lowly, earthly, and sordid, aspects of life.
c) Escalation
The more porn is viewed, the more one desires to view it.
d) Desensitization
The porn-viewer becomes more and more desensitized to what is pure, noble, good, and worthy of praise. Their mind, heart, and emotions become calloused and hardened.
e) Addiction
Seen as the modern drug, porn can be more powerful than addiction to certain drugs.
f) Acting Upon Images
Addiction to pornography can easily lead to actual sins against purity.
g) Breakup of Families
Many families have been torn apart due to the use of porn.
A married man who is purposely viewing pornography is committing an act of unfaithfulness, an act of mental and emotional adultery against his wife.
h) Hatred for God
Those who have given themselves totally to the sin of lust and impurity end up hating God.
i) Sadness
When innocence has been destroyed due to exposure to and usage of porn, joy disappears.
j) Danger of Eternal Loss
Once a person is into the vice of porn and impurity, there is a real possibility of losing the Vision of God for all eternity.
5. The Hook-Up Culture and Premature Courtships
Early, and immature courtships easily go against the virtue of purity
Sadly, the whole idea of living together, trial marriage, and cohabitation, corrupts the person and the whole society.
Conclusion
The remedies? The sacraments, prayer, and sacrifice.
Excerpts from Fr. Ed Broom
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