Chastity And Cleanliness

Gloriosum et insignem inter caeteras virtutes locum castitas et munditia tenet, fratres charissimi, quia ipsa sola est quae mundas mentes hominum praestat videre Deum. Unde ipsa Veritas ait: Beati mundo corde, quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt; ac si e contrario diceret: Illi vero miseri sunt quorum corda carnali concupiscentia sunt polluta, quia aeternas merguntur in tenebras. Castitas enim angelica est vita; castitas cum humilitate, Spiritus sancti merebitur habitationem, quem expellit immunditia libidinum, dicente Scriptura: Corpus peccatis subditum Spiritus sanctus effugiet. Membra nostra debent Deo esse dicata, non fornicationi: opponat homo desiderio carnis suae aeternorum flammas tormentorum; assuescat juvenis castitatem, ut sit dignus sapientiae Dei. Ubi immunditia est corporis, ibi habitatio diabolici spiritus, qui maxime gaudet in inquinatione carnis nostrae. Omnes immunditiae Deo displicent, et maxime quae non sunt naturales. Admonet itaque nos Scriptura sancta dicens: Post concupiscentias tuas non eas, et a voluntate tua avertere. Si praestes animae tuae concupiscentias ejus, faciet te in gaudium inimicis tuis venire. Ejus quoque modi Salomon sapientissimus proferebat sententias de cavenda immunditia carnis, dicens: Favus enim distillans labia meretricis, et nitidius oleo guttur ejus. Novissima autem illius amara quasi absinthium, et acuta quasi gladius biceps. Pedes ejus descendunt ad mortem, et ad inferos gressus illius penetrant. Per semitam vitae non ambulant, vagi sunt gressus ejus et investigabiles. Nunc ergo, fili, audi me, et ne recedas a verbis oris mei. Longe fac ab ea viam tuam, et ne appropinques foribus domus ejus. Hoc siquidem non solum de meretricum immunditia dixit, sed etiam de omni carnis concupiscentia, quae sollicitat animam suam consentire desideriis suis: sed ratio mentis prohibere debet impetus carnis et refrenare voluptates ejus iniquas. Item ille qui supra, prohibens cohabitationem feminarum juvenibus, dicit: Nunquid abscondere potest homo ignem in sinu suo, ut vestimenta illius non ardeant; aut ambulare super prunas et non comburantur plantae ejus: sic qui ingreditur ad mulierem proximi sui, non erit mundus cum tetigerit eam. Similiter et beatus Paulus admonet nos: Bonum est, inquiens, mulierem non tangere, quasi statim in tactu periculum esset: pulchra est enim casta juvenum pudicitia, et Deo amabilis, et ad omne bonum utilis. Qui filios habet spiritales, vel carnales, nutriat illos in castitate, Deo, non in fornicatione, diabolo. Quid prodest homini filium habere, nutrire, amare, si aeternis eum nutriat tormentis. Qui in castitate vivunt, angelicam habent in terris conversationem. Castitas hominem coelo conjungit, angelis facit civem. Rabanus Maurus, Homilia XLVII, De Castitate et Munditia Source: Migne PL 110.87a-88a

Chastity and cleanliness hold a glorious and wondrous place among the other virtues, dearest brothers, because it is only those with pure minds who are given the sight of God. Hence the Truth Himself says, 'Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God,' 1 as if on the contrary He had said, 'They are wretched whose hearts are defiled with carnal lusts, because they shall sink into eternal darkness.' Chastity is the angelic life, chastity with humility merits the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, whom the uncleanliness of lust expels, with Scripture saying, 'The Holy Spirit flees a body ruled by sin.' 2 Our members should be dedicated to God not to a whore. A man sets himself in the flames of eternal torment with his carnal desires. Accustom a youth to chastity so that he might be worthy of the wisdom of God. When the body is unclean a diabolical spirit dwells there, one who loudly rejoices in the defilement of our flesh. All uncleanliness is displeasing to God, especially those which are not natural. Holy Scripture warns us, saying, 'Do not go after your desires, and turn away from your will. If you give your soul to its desires you shall come to be the joy of your enemy.' 3 The most wise Solomon also sets forth passages to warn against the uncleanliness of the flesh, saying, 'Honey drips for the lips of a whore and her neck shines with oil, but soon enough she shall be as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two edged sword. He feet lead down to death, and her steps walk into hell. They do not walk on the path of life, those steps wander and are unaccountable. Now then, my son, hear me, and do not turn from the words of my mouth. Keep her far from your way, and do not approach the doors of her house.' 4 Certainly he was not speaking only of the uncleanliness of a whore, but even of every lust of the flesh, which invites the soul to agree to its desires. But the rational mind should forbid the urging of the flesh and bind back its wicked pleasures. A little later the same author, prohibiting the cohabitation of women with young men, says, 'It is never possible for a man to hide a fire in his lap so that his clothing is not burnt, or to walk upon coals and not burn the soles of his feet, so he who goes to see the wife of his neighbour shall not be clean when he touches her.' 5 Likewise Paul warns us, 'It is good for one not to touch a woman,' 6 as if a touch were instant peril. Fair is the chastity of young men, loveable to God, and useful in everything. He who has spiritual sons and not carnal ones, shall nourish them on chastity for God, and not on fornication for the devil. What does it profit a man to have a son and to feed hm and to love hm, if he raises him for eternal torment? Those who live chastely, they have the way of angels on earth. A man of chastity is bound to heaven, a fellow citizen with angels. Rabanus Maurus, from Homily 47, On Chastity and Uncleanliness 1 Mt 5.8 2 Wisd 1.5 3 Sirach 18.30-31 4 Prov 5.3-8 5 Prov 6.27-29 6 1 Cor 7.1