So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCCC no 487; cf CCC 2331-2336, 2392-2393) echoes this teaching of the book of Genesis and tells us:
God has created human beings as male and female, equal in personal dignity, and has called them to a vocation of love and of communion. Everyone should accept his or her identity as male or female, recognizing its importance for the whole of the person, its specificity and complementarity.
We have seen in Lesson 6 that God made man in his image and likeness. We have seen also that we are like God in the following ways:
Points 2333 to 2334 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) gives us additional insights. They can be summarised as follows:
2.1 Integration and Integrity
When the CCC and the CCCC speak about chastity, they use the words "integration" and "integrity" -- "successful integration of sexuality within the person," integration of sexuality "into the relationship of one person to another," "integrity of the person," "integrality of the gift," (CCC 2337) "integrity of the powers of life and love" (CCC 2338), "positive integration of sexuality within the person," correctly integrating sexuality "into the relationship of one person to another" (CCCC 488). Just what does the Church mean when She says this?
INTEGRITY refers to the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished.
To INTEGRATE means to bring together, unite, combine, or incorporate (parts) into a whole.
Chastity is what makes it possible for a person to give not only part of himself or herself, but his or her WHOLE self to another person, whether that person be a human being, or God himself. This is why the CCC 2337 says:
Castitatis igitur virtus integritatem implicat personae et totalitatem doni. -- The virtue of chastity therefore involves the integrity or wholeness of the person and the totality of the gift. [my translation]
The virtue of chastity makes one realise that one "none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself" (Romans 14:7). It makes us realise that in loving, one gives not only his or her body, but everything that he or she is, ONE'S WHOLE BEING--entire and undiminished--and EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HE OR SHE HAS (time, attention, possessions, and so on). This applies not only to married people, but to those called to celibacy as well. Chastity is our response to Jesus Christ, "who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). It was God "who first loved us" (I John 4:19). The CCC (2346) says:
Charity is the form of all the virtues. Under its influence, chastity appears as a school of the gift of the person. Self-mastery is ordered to the gift of self.
This is why Saint Josemaria Escriva said that chastity or holy purity is "a joyful affirmation" of love. In his meditation "For They Shall See God" (Friends of God no 182), he writes:
We respond with a joyful affirmation, and give ourselves to him freely and cheerfully. Your conduct should not be limited to simply evading falls and occasions of sin. In no way should you let it come down to a cold and calculating negation. Are you really convinced that chastity is a virtue and that, as such, it ought to grow and become perfect? Then I insist once again that it is not enough merely to be continent according to one's state in life. We must practise, we must live chastity, even to a heroic degree. This attitude involves a positive act whereby we gladly accept God's summons when he says: Praebe, fili mi, cor tuum mihi et oculi tui vias meas custodiant, 'Son, give me your heart, and turn your gaze upon my ways of peace.'
2.2 Apprenticeship in Self-Mastery
Chastity requires the gift of the whole self. But before I can give a gift, I must first acquire it, or buy it. That gift must first BELONG TO ME, it must first be MINE. In other words, I can only give myself as a gift to another if I have POSSESSION and CONTROL of self, if I have COMPLETE MASTERY of myself. Otherwise, my self-giving would be a lie because I would have nothing to give. The CCC (no 2339) says:
Chastity includes an APPRENTICESHIP IN SELF-MASTERY which is a TRAINING IN HUMAN FREEDOM. The alternative is clear: either man GOVERNS HIS PASSIONS and finds peace, or he lets himself be dominated by them and becomes unhappy [cf Ecclesiasticus/Sirach 1:22]. "Man's dignity therefore requires him to act out of CONSCIOUS and FREE choice, as moved and drawn in a personal way from within, and NOT by BLIND IMPULSES in himself or by MERE EXTERNAL RESTRAINT. Man gains such dignity when, ridding himself of all slavery to the passions, he presses forward to his goal by freely choosing what is good and, by his diligence and skill, effectively secures for himself the means suited to this end" [Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes 17]
This struggle may sometimes require heroic effort. As Saint Josemaria says in point no 143 of The Way,
To defend his purity, Saint Francis of Assisi rolled in the snow, Saint Benedict threw himself into a thorn bush, Saint Bernard plunged into an icy pond... You..., what have you done?
What are the means that aid the living of chastity?
Saint Josemaria gives some very practical tips on how to live holy purity (cf also CCCC no 490; CCC 2340-2347).
2.3 Chastity is for everyone
Point 491 of the CCCC (cf CCC 2348-2350, 2394) teaches us:
As followers of Christ, the model of all chastity, all the baptised are called to live chastely in keeping with their particular states of life.
How about those engaged to get married?
They, too, have to live chastity. The CCC (no 2350) says:
Those who are engaged to marry are called to live chastity in CONTINENCE. They should see in this time of testing a discovery of mutual respect, an apprenticeship in fidelity, and the hope of receiving one another from God. They should reserve for marriage the expressions of affection that belong to married love. They will help each other grow in chastity.
How about those with homosexual tendencies?
The CCC (no 2359) exhorts them also to live chastity, just like everyone else.
Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.
2.4 What are the principal sins against chastity?
Sins against chastity fall under the main heading of lust. In each one of these sins, the object of sexual pleasure is treated as a "thing" and not as a "person" with dignity. The CCC (no 2351) defines it as follows:
Lust is disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure. Sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes.
This means that sexual pleasure, when it is used by a MARRIED COUPLE for the sake of procreation in sexual union, is good and can even be offered to God and made holy. Sex is thus a sacred thing, because in every sexual act, God is present.
The CCCC (no 492; cf CCC 2351-2359, 2396) lists these offenses.
Grave sins against chastity differ according to their object:
These sins are expressions of the vice of lust. These kinds of acts committed against the physical and moral integrity of minors become even more grave.
We also ought to mention that impure looks at other people are also sinful. We will remember what our Lord Jesus Christ said (Matthew 5:27-30):
27 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
2.5 What is the responsibility of civil authority in regard to chastity?
Point 494 of the CCCC (cf CCC 2354) teaches:
Insofar as it is bound to promote respect for the dignity of the person, civil authority should seek to create an environment conducive to the practice of chastity. It should also enact suitable legislation to prevent the spread of the grave offenses against chastity mentioned above, especially in order to protect minors and those who are the weakest members of society.
Saint Josemaria Escriva wrote in "Marriage: A Christian Vocation" (Christ is Passing By 23):
Husband and wife are called to sanctify their married life and to sanctify themselves in it. It would be a serious mistake if they were to exclude family life from their spiritual development. The marriage union, the care and education of children, the effort to provide for the needs of the family as well as for its security and development, the relationships with other persons who make up the community, all these are among the ordinary human situations that christian couples are called upon to sanctify.
They will achieve this aim by exercising the virtues of faith and hope, facing serenely all the great and small problems which confront any family, and persevering in the love and enthusiasm with which they fulfil their duties. In this way they practice the virtue of charity in all things. They learn to smile and forget about themselves in order to pay attention to others. Husband and wife will listen to each other and to their children, showing them that they are really loved and understood. They will forget about the unimportant little frictions that selfishness could magnify out of proportion. They will do lovingly all the small acts of service that make up their daily life together.
The aim is this: to sanctify family life, while creating at the same time a true family atmosphere. Many christian virtues are necessary in order to sanctify each day of one's life. First, the theological virtues, and then all the others: prudence, loyalty, sincerity, humility, industriousness, cheerfulness.... But when we talk about marriage and married life, we must begin by speaking clearly about the mutual love of husband and wife.
3.1 The Marriage Act
Pope Pius XII, speaking about the marriage act in his Discourse of 29 October 1951 (quoted in CCC 2362) has this to say.
The Creator himself . . . established that in the [generative] function, spouses should experience PLEASURE and ENJOYMENT of body and spirit. Therefore, the spouses do NOTHING EVIL in seeking this pleasure and enjoyment. They accept what the Creator has intended for them. At the same time, spouses should know how to keep themselves within the limits of just MODERATION.
In the book of Tobias (8:4-9; quoted in CCC 2361), we read:
Tobias got out of bed and said to Sarah, "Sister, get up, and let us pray and implore our Lord that he grant us mercy and safety." So she got up, and they began to pray and implore that they might be kept safe. Tobias began by saying, "Blessed are you, O God of our fathers.... You made Adam, and for him you made his wife Eve as a helper and support. From the two of them the race of mankind has sprung. You said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make a helper for him like himself.' I now am taking this kinswoman of mine, not because of lust, but with sincerity. Grant that she and I may find mercy and that we may grow old together." And they both said, "Amen, Amen." Then they went to sleep for the night.
The CCC (no 2363) teaches us that marriage has a twofold END:
This twofold ends brings with it the following OBLIGATIONS. Point 495 of the CCCC (cf CCC 2360-2361, 2397-2398) tells us:
The goods of conjugal love, which for those who are baptized is sanctified by the sacrament of Matrimony, are
3.2 Conjugal fidelity
When husband and wife come together in marriage, their bond is sealed by God. Hence, there are three parties in the marriage and the bond made cannot be broken by just two of the three. Thus the Scripture clearly teaches (Mark 10:9; cf Matthew 19:1-12; I Corinthians 7:10-11)
What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.
In what way does a married person go against unity, fidelity and/or indissolubility?
The following are offenses against fidelity:
Is separation of spouses permitted?
The CCC (no 2383) says that separation which keeps the marriage bond is possible in certain cases which Church law has foreseen (see canons 1151-1155 of the Code of Canon Law).
How about if in the country, the only way to ensure certain legal rights, the care of the children or protection of inheritance is through CIVIL divorce?
The same point of the CCC cited above says that it can be tolerated and is not sinful.
How about if one is an innocent victim of a civil divorce, does he or she commit sin? The CCC (no 2386) says that it is not a sin. It explains further:
There is a considerable difference between a spouse who has sincerely tried to be faithful to the sacrament of marriage and is unjustly abandoned, and one who through his own grave fault destroys a canonically valid marriage [cf Familiaris Consortio 84]
3.3 The Child is a Gift of God, and the Fruit of Love
In what way should we regard children?
The CCCC (no 500; cf CCC 2378) tells us:
A child is a GIFT of God, the supreme gift of marriage. There is NO such thing as a RIGHT to have children (e.g. “a child at any cost”). But a child does have the right to be the fruit of the conjugal act of its parents as well as the right to be respected as a person from the moment of conception.
By considering as God's gifts, parents need to have a three-fold attitude towards children.
When is it moral to regulate births?
The regulation of births, which is an aspect of responsible fatherhood and motherhood, is objectively morally acceptable
(CCCC 497; cf CCC 2368-2369, 2399)
What are immoral means of birth control?
Every action -- for example, direct sterilization or contraception -- is intrinsically immoral which (either in anticipation of the conjugal act, in its accomplishment or in the development of its natural consequences) proposes, as an end or as a means, to hinder procreation. (CCCC 498; cf CCC 2370-2372)
What can spouses do when they do not have children?
Should the gift of a child not be given to them, after exhausting all legitimate medical options, spouses can show their generosity by way of foster care or adoption or by performing meaningful services for others. In this way they realize a precious spiritual fruitfulness. (CCCC 501; cf CCC 2379)
Why are artificial insemination and artificial fertilization immoral?
They are immoral because they dissociate procreation from the act with which the spouses give themselves to each other and so introduce the domination of technology over the origin and destiny of the human person. Furthermore, heterologous insemination and fertilization with the use of techniques that involve a person other than the married couple infringe upon the right of a child to be born of a father and mother known to him, bound to each other by marriage and having the exclusive right to become parents only through each another. (CCCC 499; cf CCC 2373-2377)