Hey, sex is sacred!

THAT’S right. Sex is sacred. We should not play around with it. It is

serious business, infused with a very serious mission. We should not

trivialize it.

Of course, it is easier said than done. The naked truth is that given

our wounded condition and the current state of affairs, sex for mere

pleasure exercises such tantalizing influence on all of us that we

find it hard to resist its allurement.

Why, even highly respected people including some cardinals, bishops

and priests are accused of some sexual shenanigans. Of course, these

are just accusations and allegations. We have to presume innocence of

the accused until proven guilty. But that such accusations are made

can only tell how problematic sex is to us.

Also, the other day, a niece of mine who works in a hospital was

distressed in telling me that she had to handle a case of a

12-year-old girl giving birth. It’s now common among teeners to have

boyfriends and girlfriends. We can only imagine the extent of this

problem that is yet to be reported.

We cannot exaggerate the fact that nowadays, this problem regarding

sex has become a real scourge and a case of infestation. Pornography

is rampant and easily accessible. Sexual sins are not anymore confined

in the mind and in the intentions. They are deeds and it seems that

they have become the new normal. You meet at random a man in the

street, and most likely he is afflicted with some sexual aberration.

This is the reality on the ground. Just the same, no matter how bad

things look and actually are, there is always hope. We just have to be

realistic in carrying out the duty of proclaiming the sacredness of

human sexuality and of helping people in developing and living the

virtue of chastity.

In this regard, we should try to explain with gift of tongue and in

ways adapted to the concrete conditions of the persons concerned, why

sex is sacred. We should avoid doing it in such an idealistic way that

would scare or turn off people rather than help them gradually not

only to have a correct understanding of the nature and purpose of sex,

but also start being serious in living a chaste life.

This is, of course, no easy task. We need to be tough, persevering and

constantly creative in carrying it out. There are many fronts to face.

On one hand, we have to proclaim, to be positive, to highlight the

beauty of sex according to God’s plan and its benefits to us if lived

in true love and chastity.

On the other hand, we have to teach people how to defend themselves

against the temptations and how to handle their weaknesses. We have to

be adept in teaching them the spiritual and supernatural means as well

as the human means for this purpose.

We need to remind everyone that sex is part of our God-given nature

and is entrusted with the most delicate and intimate mission of

cooperating with God in the creation of another person. Trivializing

it and misusing it is actually an act of going against our nature. We

dehumanize ourselves by doing so. By misusing it we become more like

dogs than human persons.

The art of prayer and self-discipline, interior struggle and spirit of

mortification have to be taught. Frequent confession and regular

spiritual direction, where brutal sincerity is a must, should be

encouraged. All these done in a friendly and confidential manner.

Last but not least is the great help that a deep devotion to the

Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother most chaste, can give us. The Marian

devotion is a strong shield against sexual temptations.