Chastitiy and a Eucharist Centered Life
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2338, relates the “integrity of the person” to the call to chastity:
“The chaste person maintains the integrity of the powers of life and love placed in him. This integrity ensures the unity of the person; it is opposed to any behavior that would impair it. It tolerates neither a double life nor duplicity in speech” (see Mt. 5:37).
Also, “Chastity is a moral virtue. It is also a gift from God, a grace, a fruit of spiritual effort (Gal. 5:22). The Holy Spirit enables one whom the water of Baptism has regenerated to imitate the purity of Christ” (#2345).
Chastity has to be a primary goal of a single man or women living a life centered on the Eucharist. Because we want to be able to present ourselves “holy and blameless before the Lord.”
We will dishonor the Body of Blood of Christ if we do not receive Holy Communion without having received the Sacrament of Reconciliation, first, if conscious of grave sexual sin (Mk 7:4; Jn 13:8; Mt 7:6). Many singles in the world today believe that they can receive Communion after a night of sexual intimacy because they are “in love” or because they feel that God loves them and so he forgives them. The faithful disregard the teachings of the Church handed down to us by our Shepherds and instead of following the teaching to go to confession like little lambs should, they have allowed the “wolves” or our secular society to scatter them until they are so confused they don’t know how to follow the truth anymore.
Singles of the Eucharist hopes to help singles understand the teachings of the Church in regards to chastity and living a Eucharistic life. We all have virtues to work on developing for the benefit of our own santification. If some have mastered chastity more than others, it is charitable to be a witness to those that haven’t. Many singles haven’t achieved “self-mastery” over the passions (#2342) that cause an un-chaste lifestyle because they don’t know it is important for their salvation or their own human dignity. They haven’t been taught.
Below exerpted from, “The Mystery of Love for the Single” by Fr. Dominic J. Unger, O.F.M. Cap., 1958 by Franciscan Heral Press, Chicago. Reprinted in 2005 by TAN Books and Publishers, Inc.:
Both Pope Pius XII said in his Encyclical, On Holy Virginity that “the best remedy against lust is the Eucharist”.
“Holy Communion subdues the passions also indirectly by increasing grace, and especially the fervor of charity toward Christ; in other words, by fostering the positive side of celibacy. The words put on the lips of St. Agnes are very appropriate: “His Body is united with mine; His Blood adorns my lips: His lover renders me chaste; His touch purifies me; His coming secures my virginity.” By increasing the fervor of charity the Eucharist perfects the union with Christ and deepens love toward Him. In that way it helps immensely to sublimate nuptial love and gives the soul a positive love to take the place of the human love that was renounced through perfect chastity. Moreover, for a few transcendent moments after Communion, the Bridegroom is present, not only by His grace, but personally, in the palatial temple of His bride, to share with her the most intimate love-union. How can Communion not be the divinely instituted instrument for perfecting consecrated chastity and love?”