The fruit of chastity (Latin root castus; morally pure, unstained) is widely misunderstood in popular society. The modern world views it as a hindrance to freedom or something the Church created to control the masses. It is considered old-fashioned and out of date with modern culture. Sexual Liberation is seen as the ultimate form of human freedom and no person or institution has the right to determine what an individual does with his or her body, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. The unrestrained expression of our passions is a form of slavery and a recipe for misery. Chastity is a way of living in freedom and dignity for self and others. Paragraph 2341 of the Catechism states that the virtue of chastity comes under the cardinal virtue of temperance, which seeks to permeate the passions and appetites of the senses with reason. In In this tenth installment of our exploration of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, we will discover what Chastity is, as defined by the Catholic church, and how we can cultivate it, and live chastely in these modern times.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines chastity as the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being. Chastity is a moral virtue. It is also a gift from God, a grace, and a fruit of the Holy Spirit, who enables one who has been Baptized to imitate the purity of Christ. It is for the single, married, and consecrated. Every baptized person is called to chastity according to their state of life.
It is a common mistake for think of chastity as simply not having sex, but it is much more. It is a broader concept that encompasses more than just sexual behavior. It refers to a state of purity and self-control in all aspects of life, including thoughts, words, and actions. Chastity involves a commitment to virtuous behavior and avoiding any form of impurity or sin. In the context of sexual behavior, chastity involves abstaining from sexual activity outside of marriage and practicing fidelity within marriage. In the CCC, 2365 states that fidelity expresses constancy in keeping one's given word. God is faithful. The Sacrament of Matrimony enables man and woman to enter Christ's fidelity for his Church. Through conjugal chastity, they bear witness to this mystery before the world. “Chastity is the spiritual power which frees love from selfishness and aggression. When a person does not strive for or is weak in chastity, his or her love becomes more and more selfish, that is, satisfying a desire for pleasure and no longer self-giving. “(PCF, The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality: Guidelines for Education Within the Family, December 8, 1995, #16)
To live and remain chaste in our modern times requires a disciplined spiritual life. As a fruit of the Holy Spirit, chastity is not something one arrives at without considerable prayer, effort, and a good deal of cultivation through God's grace. Praying the Holy Rosary plus frequent Mass and reception of the sacraments are essential. It is also helpful to know and contemplate on what Chastity values instead of what it prohibits (fornication, masturbation, lustful thoughts, adultery, etc.). In this way we can alleviate any interior resistance or temptations and find peace in the chaste decision. Here are few examples of what Chastity values:
1. Our relationship with God by honoring and being obedient to His Word.
2. The sacredness of sex as God intended. It is so sacred that it belongs only in marriage. By living chastity, one avoids trivializing sex as something merely recreational. Children are the result of sex and should be conceived and raised in the stable love of community and marriage.
3.Our human dignity as persons created in the image and likeness of God, empowered by reason rather then ruled by our passions
4. The other person as a whole and not merely an object to be used for our own pleasure or selfish desires
5. The importance of developing the most important types of love, selfless giving, friendship and affection. These will build lasting relationships and hold a marriage together.
God gave us His Word and His laws as a gift in order that we may know how to live. His way is the way of our happiness. We may think we know better but a careful examination of a life spent on promiscuity, debauchery, and the like will reveal deep- seated misery and pain, a person seeking to use others more and more until it becomes something they cannot control. First, they thought it would bring them freedom but, in the end, it leaves them in bondage. Chastity involves an apprenticeship in self-mastery leading to freedom and inner unity of body and spirit - remaining chaste is what it means to be truly human!
References:
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1997.
Microsoft Word - Lesson23ATheHolySpirit'sFruitofChastity (sjohio.org)