Hope for Purity - Spiritual Resources & Church Teachings
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Father Chad VanHoose’s November 2018 Homily
“Pornography, even the word, makes us uncomfortable. But we have to bring it into the light of God’s love to experience healing. (If you think that you’re uncomfortable, you should know that my mother watches all of my homilies online). Even though addressing the topic in such a public way is uncomfortable, we do it to protect our children and families, and that’s too important to risk not getting right...”
Church Teaching
Jesus tells us in the sixth beatitude, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Mt 5:8).
Purity requires modesty, an integral part of temperance. Modesty protects the intimate center of the person. It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden. It is ordered to chastity to whose sensitivity it bears witness. It guides how one looks at others and behaves toward them in conformity with the dignity of persons and their solidarity. (CCC 2521)
Pornography is an assault on purity and modesty. The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes teaching on pornography as such:
Pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors, vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense. Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials. (CCC 2354)
Writings of the Saints
To be pure, to remain pure, can only come at a price, the price of knowing God and loving him enough to do his will. He will always give us the strength we need to keep purity as something as beautiful for him.
Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them--every day begin the task again.
Confession heals, confession justifies, confession grants pardon of sin. All hope consists in confession. In confession there is a chance for mercy. Believe it firmly. Do not doubt, do not hesitate, never despair of the mercy of God. Hope and have confidence in confession.
The devil only tempts those souls that wish to abandon sin and those that are in a state of grace. The others belong to him; he has no need to tempt them.
Deep within yourself, listen to your conscience, which calls you to be pure… a home is not warmed by the fire of pleasure, which burns quickly like a pile of withered grass. Passing encounters are only a caricature of love; they injure hearts and mock God’s plan.
Prayers
Prayer for Purity
Dearest Jesus! I know well that every perfect gift, and above all others that of chastity, depends upon the most powerful assistance of Your Providence, and that without You a creature can do nothing. Therefore, I pray You to defend, with Your grace, chastity and purity in my soul as well as in my body. And if I have ever received through my senses any impression that could stain my chastity and purity, may You, Who are the Supreme Lord of all my powers, take it from me, that I may with an immaculate heart advance in Your love and service, offering myself chaste all the days of my life on the purest altar of Your Divinity. Amen.
St. Michael the Archangel Prayer
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the Power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits, who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Intercession for Purity
Jesus, break the spirit of lust in me.
In the name of Jesus, I reject the spirit of lust.
Online Resources
- Create In Me a Clean Heart - The United States Conference of Catholic Bishop's site with a pastoral response to pornography and a long list of resources.
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