"It is impossible for anyone who leads an impure life not to grow weak in the Faith"
St, John Chrysostom, Sermon 1. De Verbis Apost.
Today, the Church celebrates the virgin-martyr, St. Maria Goretti. Surrounded as we are, by a world drowning in sin, we would do well to meditate upon her life. Me and you. Anyone of us can fall, at any time, at any place. For those who have fallen, let us pray they get up, go to confession and amend their lives.
Today, while most in the world - sadly including Catholics - are off indulging in impurity, we should resolve to commit even more strongly to Christian purity. Purity now is regarded as silly and old-fashioned. Sexual indulgence is considered "progressive". Toronto is witnessing an interesting case before the courts. The police have recently arrested a homosexual predator who has been charged with killing at least eight other homosexuals. This is the result of sin. Sexual sin also leads to insanity. Fr. John O'Connor spoke many times about the sexual addiction of homosexuals, and that gradually these poor, tragic men go insane with lust.
We must also not compromise with indecency - we should even more strongly oppose indecency, as it flows from impurity. Indecency de-sensitizes a person to fast track them into accepting impurity and unchaste living.
Catholics must resist the world's encouragement to approve of divorce and "remarriage" (really adultery), masturbation, fornication, pornography and other sexual sins: we should even more strongly repeat the words of our saint: "no, it is a sin, you will go to hell".
2 comments:
My earliest knowledge of Saint Maria Goretti came from an Italian aunt who grew up in Livorno, Tuscany, before World War II and married my mother's brother, who saw active service at Monte Cassino.
My aunt was the purest of women and died in the faith with her Rosary in her hands.
The suffering of Maria Goretti (and her forgiveness towards those who had violated her) made a lasting impression on the faith of many Catholics like my Aunt Ginetta.
The quotation from Saint John Chrysostom speaks volumes. The so-called sexual revolution has devoured its own children as revolutions have a way of doing.
I am reading The Life of St Philip Neri by Antonio Gallonio (Ignatius Press 2005).
Saint Philip had a special calling which enabled him to rescue people who were trapped in sexual sin.
This gift (or charism) of discernment which came from the Holy Spirit, enabled him to recognize those souls who were struggling with sin and temptation.
This biography was written in Latin in 1600. Remarkable that it wasn't translated into English until the 21st Century!
Finally we are able to read about the saint's life as John Henry Newman and the Oratorian fathers were able to read it (in Latin) in the 19th Century.
I am sure you will be blessed by reading it, Barona.
St. Philip is a great example for our day. Thank-you. He carried on an apostolate without hysteria, but with great humility. He advised Catholics to reach out to those immediately around them. Sadly, on the internet - and I have been guilty of this, and can always backslide - far too much effort has been undertaken by Catholics in outrageous attacks, name calling, worldliness, trolling, denouncing...
Yes, we do at times have to call out sin and sinners. However, our actions must be motivated towards the protection of the innocent and the conversion of the sinner. At times it is very hard, when we are dealing with overt enemies of Christ; and especially when we see these evils coming from members of the hierarchy: but it must be done. What doth it profit a man to denounce a sinner, but to end up in Hell as his cell mate?
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