Sacred Sex

Jesu et Maria sit nobis in via!

If the simple question of "What do you enjoy?" were to be asked around campus we can imagine some of the common responses. Drinking, hanging out with friends, watching movies, playing video games, ect. But if we were more honest about what we truly enjoy the common responses would probably look a little different. Perhaps something like this? Sex, porn, masturbation and (still) drinking. We desire, seek out and consume all of these because they seem to bring us great pleasure.
Sexual desire is universal in all of us at some point in our lives. Some of us control it, and some of us are controlled by it.

There exists a common misconception about what the Church teaches on the matters of sex. However, the truth is really quite simple and agreeable. Anyone who claims to be a Christian and believes that sex is bad, wrong, dirty, etc. could not be farther from what the Church holds to be true. Sex is sacred. We hold that sex was designed to be an expression of love.

So then why is it that the Church stands so much against any form of sexual activity outside of the covenant relationship of marriage? Because it is not sex, it is lust. It should be well noted that even in marriage a couple is capable of indulging in lust rather than in a true act of love. Yes, in biological terms sex is simply a physical act. However, sex is more than just the physical, it is a much deeper uniting of the body, mind and soul. Beyond this, it is a pure expression of love. And what is it that we mean by love? To will the good of the other. And does anyone among us take issue with such a charitable and honest definition?

This last paragraph brings many questions even to Christian minds, but a fundamental question lies beneath these. Why must sex outside of marriage always (and even sometimes inside of if) be an act of lust rather than love?

Perhaps it would be best to make a few points clear before addressing this question. First of all, we completely agree that sexual impurity brings great pleasure to the human body. We also hold as true that the sexual activity is often mutual and can even bring a form of happiness to many people.

Then why does the Church stand so defiantly against it! Does God not want us to be happy? Yes, He does, but God invites everyone to a greater, more fulfilling happiness.

Not one of us is commanded to abstain from all hints of sexual immorality for the sole sake of saving ourselves from something, in this case sin. Rather, we are saving ourselves for something. Even before meeting our spouse we have the opportunity to be madly in love with them. And by what means? The same means those of us who are currently married show their spouse how much they love them, by faithfulness. Would any of us experience joy as the result of the infidelity of our spouse? Of course not, so we see that trust and love flourish when chastity is practiced. How great a joy it would be if all who are called to be married would preserve their body, mind and soul for the sake of their spouse to be. How much greater would the trust and love be between the two, as they know they have both been loved by the other before ever meeting!

But is this too Utopian? Could this ever really happen? It matters not what the rest of the world does in this regard; rather, if we see that chastity is right, good, and true, are we not called to follow and lead others in it's ways?

In the light of the merits of chastity, we can see the short comings of lust more clearly. Even a hint of lust results in an imperfect love. Lust does not put what is truly good, chastity, for the other above one’s personal pleasure. If it is true and good to be faithful to one’s spouse even before meeting them, then all other sexual activity is unfaithfulness.

So to you who do not share our belief in the merits of chastity, we wish to pose some questions. And while these following questions and the words they contain will have different definitions to all readers, we ask that you please do not consider the hypocrites among us, rather the idea of chastity itself. So then, does this way of life cause an increase in love or an increase in hate? Is it a reasonable (not provable) way to go about one's life? Is it a life you would like to see in your future spouse or children, yet choose to not live it out yourself?

And to you who profess a life of chastity, may this article urge you to live out life accordingly.

By this article we do not mean to propose a complete defense of all Church doctrine in regards to sex and alike; rather we simply hope to clear up a common misconception of our day. So let it be known that we do not practice such virtues as chastity because of the so-called 'evils of sex;' rather we practice such virtues so that we may love our God and our spouse more fully.

Christus Vincit, Christus Regnat, Christus Imperat!