Introduction

   Saint Paul writes to the Corinthians: "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? ... Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."(1 Corinthians 6, 15; 19, 20) In a pagan world where chastity is despised and ridiculed, Saint Paul shows the reasons for the Christian live chastity: he is a member of Christ, temple of the Holy Spirit and has to give glory to God also with the body

    Not only the Christian, but man should respect his body-and that of the others caring for chastity in thoughts, words, deeds and desires. God has marked the path of human dignity in this field with two precepts: the sixth, "You shall not commit adultery", and the ninth, "you shall not impure thoughts or desires". This is for the rational domain of sexuality.

A. Choose one of the following words and answer: spirit, body, Christ, angels, pure or adultery.

1. Sexuality is a gift from God

   A starting point, as fundamental as necessary to discuss the sixth commandment is the claim of the holy Scripture, which teaches that God created man in his image and likeness (Genesis 1, 27). Sexuality is not bad, nor contrary to God's law; it is good because it comes from God. It is another gift from God.

    Now, of course, sexuality has a reason to be very definite and sublime. Although God could have done things differently, he wished trust the man and the woman (husband and wife) the noble mission of transmitting life, continuing human generation. And as the mission is so high, he would also order it and protect it with some precepts for maintain its dignity and efficiency, according to God's plan. So we cannot do with the body what we want. God has established an order in the use of sexuality and it is that sexual pleasure (thought, word or act) is permissible only within marriage and aimed to the purpose established by the Creator: the transmission of human life with the mutual help of husband and wife.

2. The virtue of chastity

   Although sometimes chastity and purity are identified, the virtue of purity expresses the total renunciation of the immoral use of sexuality; while chastity expresses the dominion of sexuality. Then chastity is the virtue that regulates and controls sexuality, imposing the respect for the body in thoughts, desires, words and actions. This virtue expresses the integration of sexuality in the person and thus the submission of sexual passion to human reason and faith. The virtue of chastity is, as each virtue, a conquest of brave; it is a good thing that liberates from the bondage of sin.

3. The impurity destroys many things in man

   The sin of impurity destroys treasures that God has given to man and woman, not only because we offend him and lose his friendship, but because it hurts the virtues of truth. The impure person is sad because is a slave of sin; he is not generous because he only thinks about himself and pleasure; his faith is weakened because his heart is blinded. He loses that fine sensibility of the soul, which enables him to love God and others.

    If education and dominion of sexuality is not achieved, the alternative is clear: either man governs his passions and finds peace, or he lets himself be dominated by them and becomes unhappy.

B. Choose one of the following words and answer: woman, animal, man, God, life, sensuality, marriage, gang, human, purity, chastity, impurity, soul or sin.

4. Chastity is for everybody

   Christ is the model of all virtues, and the condition of the Christian is to live a chaste life. Everyone in his state and according the vocation received, since God asks some of them to live in virginity or celibacy and others to live in marriage or single. Married couple have to live conjugal chastity, faithful to their marital duties; unmarried practice chastity in continence.

    Husbands should know that fertility is a good and the purpose of marriage, as conjugal love naturally tends to be fruitful; therefore, the marriage must transmit life, it is prohibited the use of contraception or sterilization to avoid procreation.

5. Sins against chastity

   Sin against chastity those who commit impure actions; watch impure things; consent impure thoughts or desires; keep conversations or tell jokes about impure things; those who voluntarily put themselves or others at risk of committing them. As moral classification, they are notorious sins against chastity: masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices. Against the dignity of marriage, we highlight adultery, polygamy, and free love.

    These sins against chastity are always serious, if there is full knowledge and consent.

6. Struggle for chastity

   To win the battle of chastity, it is necessary to avoid some occasions; that is, to avoid does not mean cowardice but prudence. And this dictates avoiding friends, readings, shows and talks that push to sin.

    Another step is to be busy in serious work, which saves of selfishness; it also helps the sport, which saves of craving. And we cannot forget the importance of sincerity, as well as modesty and shyness that teach delicacy by dressing in daily. This is to protect the purity.

    But the most important is the supernatural means: frequent confession and communion; ask for chastity and; go to the Virgin Immaculate and our Mother; offer small sacrifices that affirm the will and get the grace. As Saint Thomas Aquinas notes, "that man live in the flesh and not according to the flesh, is not of man but of God."

Catechesis course. Mister Jaime Pujol Balcells and Mister Jesus Sancho Bielsa. EUNSA. Navarra. 1982. with the permission of the authors.

C. Choose one of the following words and answer: some, everybody, celibacy, marriage, virgin, married, sons, nephews, drugs, contraceptives, chastity, occasions or cities.

Preguntas de los catecismos

1. What commands the sixth commandment?  The sixth commandment commands to be clean and chaste in word and in action.

2. Do the Christians have a special reason to cultivate chastity?  Christians have a special reason to cultivate chastity, because by the grace, we are members of Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit.

3. Who sin against chastity?  Sin against chastity those who commit dishonest actions, and those who voluntarily put themselves or other in danger of committing them.

4. What are the main means to save chastity?  The main means to save chastity are: frequent confession and communion; devotion to the Virgin, modesty and the escape of the occasions of sin as conversations, regards, readings, shows and indecent styles.

  D. Choose the button with the correct answer. The possible answers are below:

  Purposes of Christian life

- Go to the Virgin when we feel temptations against chastity. We can pray the "Blessed be your purity" or the "Memorare" (they are on the "Prayers and practices of Christian life" section).

– Go to a lot of effort to be and show clear in words, conversations, jokes, etc.

 Educational applications