103. Guard over the senses

"Know you not that your members are the temple of the Holy Ghost?" (1. Cor. 6: 19.)

The two most excellent guardians of chastity are bashfulness and modesty. The former removes the proximate, the latter prevents the remote, occasion of sin.

Bashfulness is that venerable priestess to whom has been committed the sanctuary of our body by God himself. With a shy timidity, she guards the holy altars; and if an unholy flame be enkindled on them, she is terrified, and immediately extinguishes it.

Modesty continually watches at the gate of the temple, and with inexorable severity denies admittance to anything that would profane or sully the consecrated spot, or disturb the holy peace which should always reign there.

Yes, young man, your body is a sanctuary. Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? For the temple of God is holy, which you are. (1. Cor. 3: 16, 17.) Know you not that your members are the temple of the Holy Ghost, who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (1. Cor. 6: 19.)

Bashfulness puts the proper restraint upon indecent freedom. Alone, or in company with others, the chaste man always respects himself. There is no look, no gesture, no action, which he does not regulate most conscientiously, according to the laws of the strictest decency and decorum. Nothing that he does, need shrink before the light of day.

This thought is always present before his mind: The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. (Prov. 15: 3.) Neither is there any creature invisible in his sight. (Hebr. 4: 13.)

The immodest and sinfully-imprudent man, on the contrary, alone, and before his equals, allows himself liberties which displease the pure eye of God, grieve his holy Guardian Angel, and cause the chaste to blush, knowing that such things may lead, and alas! only too often do lead, to the most terrible and lamentable falls ' Modesty puts a salutary restraint upon culpable, or, at least, dangerous curiosity. It is especially the eyes over which it is most anxious to keep guard.

The senses are the avenues to the heart; and the heart becomes the rendezvous of all conceivable passions, if the carelessness and treachery of the guardian permit outside enemies to lend weapons to, and form an alliance with, the rebels within.

The immodest man allows his eyes to roam about wheresoever they will. Nothing escapes him; he must see, hear and know everything He can deny himself nothing. He governs his senses as little as his heart; and from the fact that his eyes and ears are always open, very often much that is dangerous enters therein. On this account, he is compelled frequently to exclaim: Woe, death is come up through our windows, it is entered into our houses, to destroy the children from without, the young men from the streets. (Jer. 9: 21.)

Young man, you often complain of the violence of certain temptations. Are you never yourself the cause of them? Are you always sufficiently circumspect?

Are eye, ear, hand—in a word, is the whole exterior man, under the proper control of reason, and under the influence of that salutary thought,—the continual presence of an all-holy, an all-pure God?

Be convinced; your purity is in danger, the sanctuary of your body is on the verge of profanation, unless that earnest priestess, bashfulness, that conscientious guardian, modesty, protect it!

Be assured that lost innocence can never be regained, the dishonored temple never again acquire its pristine sanctity and lustre, unless it be purified by this exalted priestess; unless she be re-instated into her former rights; unless the guard be re-enforced at the entrance of the sanctuary, and made reliable by the most rigid discipline.

A bold, shameless, licentious young man, given up to the unbridled liberty of his senses, is anything else but chaste.

And again, a modest, bashful, prudent, reserved young man is naturally chaste.

Glorify and bear God, then, in your body. (1. Cor. 6: 20.)

You need not be scrupulous; it suffices to be conscientious. That which is not a sin, you must not consider as sin,—but you must avoid whatever borders on sin, or may lead to sin. It is not in your power not to be tempted; but you can avoid a dangerous negligence, and prevent an occasion being offered to temptation.

And then, do not forget that the virtue of chastity is capable of perfection. It does not consist in an entire freedom from every temptation, but in a continually-growing inaccessibility—in a constantly-increasing hatred of all uncleanness—in a careful watch over the senses—in a more and more manful combat against flesh and blood.

As I knew that I could not otherwise be continent, except God gave it, and this was a point of wisdom to know whose gift it was, I went to the Lord, and besought him with all my heart for strength and help. (Wisd. 8: 21.) Lord, thou lover of pure souls, give me a mind and heart that will detest and abhor with all their strength the contemptible pleasures of the flesh!

Pierce thou my flesh with fear. (Ps. 118: 120.) Keep thy holy presence ever before my eyes, commanding reverence, animating, and encouraging me.

O Lord of my youth, let not the tempest of water drown me, nor the deep swallow me up: and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. (Ps. 68: 16.)

O, rather grant me the virtue of immaculate purity, which will make me so pleasing to thee, which will give me peace of soul, and secure for me so glorious a crown hereafter! A spotless life is old age. (Prov. 4: 9.)

What would all human knowledge avail me in a polluted body, and of what benefit would all earthly goods be to me, without the heavenly treasure of immaculate purity?

Behold, O my God, I am resolved, henceforward, to love this most amiable of virtues more than health and beauty, and more than earthly possessions.

I will choose her instead of light, for her light cannot be put out. (Wisd. 7: 10.) Assist me, O Virgin of virgins, and holy Joseph, thou purest spouse of our pure Mother Mary; thou also, my Guardian Angel! O pray for me, all ye holy Saints, pure souls of the just made perfect, that I may persevere in the love and practice of this most beautiful virtue. Perfect thou, O Lord, my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps may not be moved. (Ps. 16: 5.)