Hey, sex is
sacred!
By
Fr. ROY CIMAGALA,
roycimagala@gmail.com
January 1, 2019
THAT’S right. Sex is
sacred. We should not play around with it. It is serious business,
infused with a very serious mission. We should not trivialize it.
Of course, it is easier
said than done. The naked truth is that given our wounded condition
and the current state of affairs, sex for mere pleasure exercises
such tantalizing influence on all of us that we find it hard to
resist its allurement.
Why, even highly respected
people including some cardinals, bishops and priests are accused of
some sexual shenanigans. Of course, these are just accusations and
allegations. We have to presume innocence of the accused until
proven guilty. But that such accusations are made can only tell how
problematic sex is to us.
Also, the other day, a
niece of mine who works in a hospital was distressed in telling me
that she had to handle a case of a 12-year-old girl giving birth.
It’s now common among teeners to have boyfriends and girlfriends. We
can only imagine the extent of this problem that is yet to be
reported.
We cannot exaggerate the
fact that nowadays, this problem regarding sex has become a real
scourge and a case of infestation. Pornography is rampant and easily
accessible. Sexual sins are not anymore confined in the mind and in
the intentions. They are deeds and it seems that they have become
the new normal. You meet at random a man in the street, and most
likely he is afflicted with some sexual aberration.
This is the reality on the
ground. Just the same, no matter how bad things look and actually
are, there is always hope. We just have to be realistic in carrying
out the duty of proclaiming the sacredness of human sexuality and of
helping people in developing and living the virtue of chastity.
In this regard, we should
try to explain with gift of tongue and in ways adapted to the
concrete conditions of the persons concerned, why sex is sacred. We
should avoid doing it in such an idealistic way that would scare or
turn off people rather than help them gradually not only to have a
correct understanding of the nature and purpose of sex, but also
start being serious in living a chaste life.
This is, of course, no
easy task. We need to be tough, persevering and constantly creative
in carrying it out. There are many fronts to face. On one hand, we
have to proclaim, to be positive, to highlight the beauty of sex
according to God’s plan and its benefits to us if lived in true love
and chastity.
On the other hand, we have
to teach people how to defend themselves against the temptations and
how to handle their weaknesses. We have to be adept in teaching them
the spiritual and supernatural means as well as the human means for
this purpose.
We need to remind everyone
that sex is part of our God-given nature and is entrusted with the
most delicate and intimate mission of cooperating with God in the
creation of another person. Trivializing it and misusing it is
actually an act of going against our nature. We dehumanize ourselves
by doing so. By misusing it we become more like dogs than human
persons.
The art of prayer and
self-discipline, interior struggle and spirit of mortification have
to be taught. Frequent confession and regular spiritual direction,
where brutal sincerity is a must, should be encouraged. All these
done in a friendly and confidential manner.
Last but not least is the
great help that a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the
mother most chaste, can give us. The Marian devotion is a strong
shield against sexual temptations.