Weekly Encouragement September 27th
Dear Friends,
Well, it's hard to believe this is my 13th Weekly Encouragement e-mail. After an initial introductory message, I have sent you 11 messages discussing one fruit of the Spirit each week. Today we come to the final one: Chastity. Keep reading down below for more on that.
But first, I want to give you a preview of what is to come. In October, we are shifting our focus as a parish family onto the Holy Eucharist, as we participate in the Year of Eucharistic Revival, a program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Please keep your eyes open for announcements about new programs and events, starting with Oratio, a time of eucharistic adoration which will soon begin taking place twice a month (the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.).
The Second Vatican Council described the Eucharist as "the source and summit of the Christian life," and all of my reflections on the fruits of the Spirit tie into that great reality. That is, when we are in a state of grace and participate in the sacrament of Christ's body, blood, soul, and divinity, we open ourselves up to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, the more we pray to increase in virtue, the more we will be drawn to Christ in the Mass. It's a two-way street.
So, starting next week, my Weekly Encouragement e-mails will be about the Eucharist for a while. Specifically, I want to address frequently asked questions about the Mass as it relates to everyday life. So, if you have any burning concerns, send them my way at apetiprin@ctk.org. Maybe other people want to know the same things you do!
God bless you all!
In Christ,
Andrew Petiprin
Director of Community Life
Christ the King Catholic Church
Around the time of Christ, there were groups of Gentiles who were fascinated with Judaism. They were drawn to one all-powerful loving God rather than the many capricious gods of paganism. They loved the idea that the Jews had a holy Law (Torah) that kept their culture cohesive. But most of all they loved Jewish morality, which emphasized chastity. Simply put, many pagans were simply exhausted by a culture of promiscuity, grooming, orgies, pedophilia, and rape. Israel's two options of marriage and celibacy provided enormous liberation!
All of us are called to chastity too. And while chastity is not always easy, remaining chaste ensures our happiness and fulfillment. By saying "no" to most options, we get to explore the full-range of the one "yes" we choose.
For celibate people, chastity provides more time, energy, and interest for friends, co-workers, fellow parishioners, siblings, parents, nephews, nieces, etc.... It may also include extra intensity for particularly holy work like the priesthood, mission work, or the monastic life; but it could just as easily be secular work done for the glory of God, or for contemplation!
For married people, chastity ensures the sanctity of the family, whether a couple has children or not. In a chaste marriage, a couple represents the design for mankind's fruitfulness as instituted by God in creation and fulfilled in Christ's love for the Church. When a man and a woman pledge themselves in faithfulness to each other, they are invested in the life of the world in a special way. By their bond, they show everyone that commitment matters, that stability is desirable, that the future is worth fighting for.
Give thanks to God this week for the gift of chastity, whatever state of life you are in. And if you find yourself tempted by or giving into unchastity, do not be afraid to seek total forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In my experience, the confessional is a place of incredible liberation!
Prayer:
Father, you give every perfect gift, including chastity. Therefore, I pray You to defend, with Your grace, chastity and purity in my soul as well as in my body. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.