Sex & Holy Purity

Archbishop Sheen

What is the single greatest gift a young man and woman can give each other in marriage? It is their holy purity or chastity. Without holy purity, human love – popularly known as ‘sex’ - becomes corrupt. There is no true human love without holy purity.

What is the single greatest virtue a young man and woman find most difficult to practice in this 21st century? It is the virtue of holy purity or chastity.

The sixth and ninth Commandment of God teaches specifically against sins of the flesh. When we practice holy chastity as taught by God’s Commands, we also will obtain purity of mind and heart. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church notes, "purity of heart is the precondition of the vision of God."

Without a knowledge and great love for God, holy purity will be very hard to maintain. St. Paul teaches us that chastity is a ‘fruit of the Holy Spirit.’ A strong Sacramental life, especially frequent reception of the Sacrament of Confession and the Eucharist, is most important.
Nevertheless, what about the countless temptations that seemingly are everywhere?
The best defense is a good offense – maintain a holy attack against impurity. How can young people accomplish this?

Here is a list of weapons to use to maintain holy purity:

~Begin each day with Holy Mass, if possible, and fruitful prayer. Moreover, remember Sister Christine Joseph’s morning prayer: "Good morning, dear Jesus, this day is for you! I ask you to bless me in everything I think, say and do!" and offer every thought, word, and deed of the day to Jesus.

~Dress modestly. Forget the current partially nude fashions. Instead, women should dress their body in modest clothing. Remember, a women’s husband is the only person who should see and receive the joy of her body. Follow the dress code for permission to enter Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome: women must cover their shoulders and upper arms, must wear skirts below the knee, the collar of their blouse is to be at the collar bone, and no tight revealing clothing. The Basilica’s custodians standing on the outside porte-cochere will shake their finger at badly dressed persons and ask: "Quo vadis?" They will tell them to go back to their hotel, put some clothes on and then come back to enter the House of God

~Avoid inappropriate conversations. When a discussion becomes off color or the language is impure, change the subject or walk away from the group. Remember, the tongue and lips that receive Holy Communion should not be accused of uttering neither indecent words nor risqué stories.

~Arm oneself with holy sacramentals. Wear a blessed crucifix on your chest; wear a properly invested Brown Scapular around your neck; keep a blessed rosary in your pocket or purse. A blessed ‘Angus Dei’ medal could be attached to your rosary.

~Reject bad forms of entertainment. Imagine sitting next to the guest of honor, Jesus. Would he be offended at the television program or the movie we were watching? If it is not appropriate for the Jesus, it is not appropriate for persons desiring holy purity.

~Avoid useless activities. Ask the question: ‘By performing this activity, would it be giving honor and glory to God?’ If it would not, best to leave the activity alone.

~Remain cheerful. The crowd will follow a cheerful, courageous leader. Care not for human respect and give your heart to God. Observers will want to possess and imitate this same courage and dignity.

~Avoid occasions of sin. Very often young people feel compunction for their faults and yet they go back to the very sins they previously condemned and commit them again…and again. Do not return to the scene of the crime, for it will tempt the heart once more.