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 A couple of years ago on a winter Sunday afternoon,
I picked up the Bible to search for guidance. I felt unsettled about my actions
at a party the night before. As a Catholic young woman, seeking the truth, I
needed direction. I opened the scripture, and my eyes fell to 1 Corinthians
6:19: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you,
whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?" This certainly gave me a
framework to evaluate my actions and motivations. The Lord convicted me that my
body and soul are united. This is a lesson that I strive to understand more each
day. Thankfully, the Lord offers a tremendous gift to live out this reality.
It's called chastity. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines this virtue
as, "the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the
inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being." Chastity helps us to see
the human body as a dwelling place of the Holy Ghost.
John Paul II said, "The body and it alone makes
visible what is invisible: the spiritual and divine (Feb. 20, 1980.)" Our late
Pope's revolutionary, "theology of the body" is a tool to help reveal the
dignity of human sexuality in light of the Gospel. He explained, to 129 small
audiences from the years 1979 through 1984, that the complimentarily of man and
woman presents an icon of our relationship with God. The physical union of
husband and wife in the Sacrament of Marriage is the closest image we have of
God's love for us. "For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head
of the church, he himself the savior of the body" (Ephesians 5:23.) In a sense,
God wants to marry us, the Church! Our bodies are meant to reveal that mystery.
Chastity helps us to see that the body, "was created to transfer into the
visible reality of the world, the invisible mystery hidden in God from time
immemorial, and thus to be a sign of it (John Paul II.)" With all the challenges
to chastity in our culture, how can we embrace this virtue on a daily basis?
 "Do not conform yourselves to this age, but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Romans 12:2.) We are surrounded with
the allure of sin, both in our own hearts and in our culture. To live in purity
requires conversion to Christ. We must ask for the renewal of our minds, with
faith. "For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds" (Luke
11:10.) I grew up in a very faith-filled Catholic family. We are active members
our vibrant parish community. I was involved in youth group in junior high and
high school, and I heard about chastity as a young person. Yet, the idea did not
take hold in my heart until I understood my dependency on God. It was not until
I started asking for the gift of chastity on a daily basis that the Holy Spirit
could control my thoughts. Even after years of praying this way, I have to fight
every day to put on the mind of Christ. Praise God for the Sacraments that help
me in this battle.
In my struggle to live a chaste life, Confession and
the Eucharist have been my most powerful weapons. In the past, I have failed to
recognize the sacredness of my own body, I have allowed myself to be used as an
object for someone else's gratification, and I have denied the image of God in
those around me. When I bring these sins to God through a priest in Confession,
I experience the freedom of forgiveness. It is a beautiful relief to begin anew,
with a clean slate and more power to stand up against the lies of the devil.
When I partake in the Eucharist, Christ Himself comes to live inside me. With
the fullness of God dwelling in me, I can confidently respect my own "temple,"
and also see the value in every body around me. "The body and it alone makes
visible what is invisible." In light of this truth, it is no surprise that the
devil would attack our perception of the body.
The times when I have fallen into sin the hardest
were those times when I forgot that I have a real enemy. St. Peter told us in 1
Peter 5:8, "Be sober, be watchful, your adversary the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." The key is that our spiritual enemy
"prowls!" Just as an African lioness hides in the tall grass to wait for the
ideal moment of attack, the lies of the devil come disguised or unnoticed until
we have already fallen into sin. Here is the good news: Jesus came to save us
from the bondage of selfishness and confusion and to call us back to a real,
life-giving love. When we are aware that the forces of evil are trying to pull
our focus away from what is truly good and beautiful, even our temptations
become opportunities to dive further into the heart of Christ.
God can take every desire, even those that are
twisted by sin, to lead us to Him. When we bring our sexual struggles to God
through the Sacraments, and through a constant, prayerful search for God, we
begin to embody chastity. As this virtue increases in us, we are set free to
love as God loves. We always rise victorious when we stand with Christ. When an
impure thought comes to mind, we have the option to immediately take that
thought captive, bring it to the foot of the cross, and await the resurrection.
Walking the way of the Calvary means we will have to be crucified. But Good
Friday is not the end of the story. Surrendering our evil desires, no matter how
enticing or promising they may seem, is always rewarded with the triumph of
love.
Do you know that your body is a temple of the Holy
Spirit? If you walk into a room realizing that your body belongs to Christ,
people will be drawn to His presence in you. When you acknowledge that others
are made in the likeness of God, they will be encouraged. Not only will you be
blessed, but you will also become a blessing for everyone around you. My hope is
that you ask the Lord for this gift. Jesus gave us His promise: "Whatever you
ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive" (Matthew 21:22.) Let us walk on
together, living in the Holy Spirit through the virtue of chastity.
Amanda Vernon Biography
Amanda Vernon is an internationally acclaimed
Catholic Music Minister who has performed throughout the United States, Mexico,
Canada, Australia and Europe. This 21-year-old singer/songwriter has written and
recorded over 40 original songs and this past year released her fourth CD,
entitled, "Living His Story." She was blessed to be able to minister to
thousands of pilgrims at World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia as well as in
France at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in 2008. She has also been a repeat
guest on the EWTN live television show, "Life on the Rock." Jesse Romero, Host
of EWTN Catholic Global Radio's "Reasons for Faith LIVE" has said, "Amanda
Vernon's Music Ministry is changing hearts and winning souls for the kingdom of
God. She has dedicated her life to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ through
testimony and song." Amanda is a home school graduate and the oldest of seven
children. Amanda will enter inter the Vocation of Marriage with her best friend,
David Shaheen, on September 5, 2009.
To learn more about Amanda Vernon's Catholic music
ministry, schedule a concert or to purchase her music, visit:
www.amandavernon.com.
Amanda and David offer daylong conferences about
Chastity. To bring them to your Diocese, school or parish community, visit the
"Chastity FORCE" website:
www.chastityforce.com.
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