Practical training in chastity

THIS concern should never be taken for granted. This

is actually a much bigger concern than what we have in the areas of

politics, social life, business or the now in-thing of climate change,

ecology and other environmental issues.

  

                And the simple reason is that this concern is

fundamental in our life. This virtue figures prominently in our

capacity to love on which all the other aspects of our life depend. It

is first of all a fruit of real love that comes from God and the seed

that gives life to real love also.

  

                If that capacity to love is compromised, either openly

or subtly, then we can be brilliant, productive and impressive in the

other aspects but we would still miss the point, we would still miss

the real goal.

  

                Moreover, we would likely create a bigger mess the

more powerful we are in the other aspects that are not driven or

inspired by real love. We can enter into the world of illusions, if

not delusion, that can be so grave that we may not even realize it.

And that’s because if we do not have the real love, we can only have

the alternative of self-love which is a sweet poison.

  

                Plainly put, chastity is putting our body and

everything in it in the dynamic of true love that has God as the

source, the pattern, the energy, and the end. Yes, it involves the

proper regulation of our thoughts, desires, emotions and passions, all

the way to the level of the hormones.

   

                Sad to say, this virtue is now so ignored,

misunderstood and badly lived that some people are actually wondering

if it is still possible to live it. Practically all of us have

suffered the erratic ways of our flesh. But obviously, chastity is

always possible and practicable.

   

                But yes, we cannot deny that it involves a lot of

effort and self-discipline. Aside from the spiritual and supernatural

means that should always be given priority in our effort to develop

this virtue, we have to undertake a rigorous practical training to be

chaste.

  

                We should not be naive not to acknowledge that we

carry within ourselves our first formidable enemy in this struggle for

chastity. It’s our body itself that is ruled by strong biological

constituents like hormones, instincts, temperaments, etc. that can go

wild if not properly handled.

                  We need to be keenly aware of them, of how they work,

etc., so that we would know how to direct them to the dynamic of real

love. The ideal state should be that we have a strong dominion over

these biological elements.

  

                Of course, we cannot be in complete control of these

things, but at least we are doing something to dominate them. We have

to be careful with the food we eat, the things we see and handle that

can trigger unchaste reactions, etc. We have to be careful with our

thoughts, imagination and memory.

  

                We have to develop a strong, alert and prompt will to

resist the erratic and erotic urges of the flesh. These urges can come

anytime, but especially in our more vulnerable moments as when we are

tired and alone, when going to bed or upon waking up. These are times

when the body would simply look for sensual pleasures as its way of

having relief and compensation.

  

                It’s in these moments that we have to intensify our

prayer, making many acts of faith, hope and charity. Our mind and

heart should be filled with good thoughts, desires and images so that

our senses, our emotions and feelings would be put at ease and in

condition to love, to think of God and of the others, to think of what

we can do for them.

  

                And we cannot deny the importance of resorting to some

severe corporal mortifications to discipline the body. Sad to say,

this practical training in chastity is still unheard of by many these

days.