Today’s First Reading has something you don’t see very often: Paul giving his opinion instead of a commandment from Christ. The question is regarding celibacy and whether Our Lord commanded it for everyone. Paul’s response is that everyone is called to chastity, just not in the same way. Celibacy is refraining from the intimate relationship between a man and a woman normally done between two people married to each other. Chastity is a virtue for everyone, married or not: it means living your sexuality in accord with God’s plan.
In our highly sexualized culture chastity is a challenge to live today, and it is a challenge both married and unmarried people have to face. For the unmarried it means either awaiting that special someone with whom they’ll marry before living the intimacy that, God willing, will help them become parents as well as strengthen their love, or being sexually continent for love of the Lord. For the married it means fidelity to your spouse and honoring your spouse and the Lord in the way you live your sexuality.
Let’s pray for everyone, whatever their state and condition in life, to live chastely and in so doing to honor themselves, others, and Our Lord.
Readings: 1 Corinthians 7:25–31; Psalm 45:11–12, 14–17; Luke 6:20–26. See also 23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday.