"The Virtue of Chastity in a World of Impurity" March 19, 2021

As we continue our Lenten Journey, we examine one of the titles given to St. Joseph in the Litany of St. Joseph: “Joseph Most Chaste.” In the Gospels, we find that Joseph never speaks a word. He is always there, though, as a silent presence. We read about him – that he was a righteous man, unwilling to expose Mary to shame, and that he was going to divorce her quietly. He was “righteous” precisely because he was docile and obedient to God. He was “faithful” because of his trust in what the Lord asked of him. We see his prompt obedience in his response to the intervention of God’s angel in his dreams. In the Divine Praises used at the end of Benediction, St. Joseph is referred to as ‘Her most chaste spouse.” What does this really mean? Her most chaste spouse? We need to look at this virtue of chastity.

Chastity is a misunderstood virtue; today’s society tells us that chastity is suppressing our “natural sexual urges.” We live in a highly sexualized world. Everywhere we look, sexual images abound. The lack of modesty in dress often times leaves little to the imagination. Many television programs are filled with conversations which carry sexual innuendos or overtones. It seems that we cannot get away from it. Yet, all of us, married or single or religious, are called to live this virtue of chastity, even as difficult as it might be in our world today. The temptations of the Evil One are prominent in the area of human sexuality.    

All the baptized are called to chastity. All of Christ’s faithful are called to lead a chaste life in keeping with their particular state of life modeling Christ Himself. At the moment of our Baptism, because we receive Christ, we receive this gift. However, we must learn the proper understanding of the virtue of chastity and then pray for the grace to live it to our fullest potential. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that charity is the greatest of the three theological virtues, expressed in the love of both God and our fellow man. It is said to be the end of other virtues because it directs all other virtues to its own end. Charity is the mother of all virtues. So, if we want to grow in virtue, we must mature in charity.

Under the influence of charity, chastity is a school by which we learn to give of the gift of our self. In other words, we must master our self in order to give the gift of our self to God and others. Chastity leads a person who practices it to become a witness to the fidelity and loving kindness of God. I will put it another way. Chaste love requires that a person wills the good of another without possessing the other as one’s own. St. Joseph was entrusted with the Child Jesus and His Blessed Mother. He was chaste in body but also in his heart. Joseph loved freely, and in doing so, this created the interior peaceful order in the Holy Family.

By the grace of God, Joseph had a united heart. By that I mean that he was deeply devoted to Mary in fidelity and love, just as he was to God. Because of his deep love for God, he was then able to live a chaste love in his relationship with Mary and Jesus. Lust is the predominant vice at work in the hearts of people today. There is no question regarding the impact of the sexual permissiveness of our culture. We are all aware of the impact that pornography has on an individual and on their family. As I said earlier, human sexuality is the greatest of the temptations of the Evil One.  We need the help of St. Joseph Most Chaste to overcome these temptations. 

Living the virtue of chastity elevates one’s love and attraction to a deep respect for the dignity of the other. Chastity allows a person to see purely (to see God in another) and with piety (to reverence the divine image in the other). This is what St. Joseph was able to do and this is what parents must teach their children. In order to do so, parents must live a chaste life themselves. The virtue of chastity is reflected in the other virtues of honesty, faith, trustfulness, charity, peace, and worshiping and seeking God. It is reflected in the way we dress, in conversations we have, the television shows and movies we watch, etc. These virtues must be lived in the parents before parents can influence their children. If parents do not teach the importance of chastity, the culture will teach them something far different.

Parents must teach their Children that this is not mom and dad’s law, but God’s law, and God wants us to do what is best for our spiritual maturity. Parents, you may not think about this, but your whole life teaches many things to your children, and words are not always required. Your role in guiding your children in this virtue is critical.

The season of Lent is time of conversion and repentance. If you struggle with living the virtue of chastity in any way, thoughts, words, or actions, whether you are married or single or religious, St. Joseph, our spiritual father, wants to teach you the way to true chastity–how to live it and how to teach it. There can be no question that Jesus learned this virtue from his earthly father, St. Joseph. We often see St. Joseph depicted with a lily, as a sign of purity. His life shows us that the full gift of self toward another does not necessarily have to involve sexual relations.

He loved Mary and that meant that he was willing to dedicate himself to what was best for her and for the divine Son she was carrying. He put all his love and his life at the service of their vocations, and in doing so, he fulfilled his own vocation. St. Joseph teaches us that it is possible to love without possessing another person.

Men, in particular, need to imitate the chaste heart of Joseph. The world needs husbands who love their wives as Joseph loved Mary. If men reverence their wives as holy temples, families will be renewed and the attacks against the dignity of the human person and family will be overcome. St. Joseph will fight for us if only we call upon him for assistance. St. Joseph, Most Chaste, pray for us!

Rev. Fr. Robert T. Cooper, Pastor
Divine Mercy Parish and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School