Rob Colquhoun

In a July 29th 2005 press release, the World Health Organization openly admitted that cobined estrogen-progestogen Oral Contraceptives are carcinogenic to humans. http://www.iarc.fr/ENG/Press_Releases/pr167a.html

As Mother Teresa said, "Intense love does not measure . . . it just gives."(1) Or in the words of Pope John Paul II, a young heart feels "a desire for greater generosity, more commitment, greater love. This desire for more is a characteristic of youth; a heart that is in love does not calculate, does not begrudge, it wants to give of itself without measure. . . ."(2) "There is no place for selfishness--and no place for fear! Do not be afraid, then, when love makes demands. Do not be afraid when love requires sacrifice. . . ."(3) "Real love is demanding. I would fail in my mission if I did not tell you so. Love demands a personal commitment to the will of God."(4)

So, the virtue of purity is not first a "no" to illicit sex, but a "yes" to authentic love. It is a "yes" to the truth of the goodness of our bodies and the gift of sex. It is not a prolonged series of "no"s but a continual "yes" to Jesus. Since we receive more grace each time we say yes to God, we soon see how possible and joyful this life really is. The Blessed Mother offers us the perfect example of how to live this when, in the Gospel of Luke, she gives us the recipe for holiness: "Let it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). The more we are able to imitate her "yes," the more joy and peace we will find in our lives. Someone asked Mother Teresa how we could become saints and she said: "Whenever Jesus asks something of you, say 'yes.' "

Living the virtue of chastity now means that you cherish your future marriage more than passing pleasures. Living with a pure heart will also prepare you to be a better wife or husband because you will learn how to express intimacy without always needing to be physical. It has been said that when a couple has healthy intimacy, the closer the two become the more they become themselves. When a couple is experiencing unhealthy intimacy, they usually feel as if they are losing their identity.

1. Mother Teresa, as quoted by www.motherteresa.com.
2. Pope John Paul II, address, 18 May 1988, Asuncion, Paraguay. As quoted by Pedro Beteta López, ed., The Meaning of Vocation (Princeton, New Jersey: Scepter Publishers, 1997), 18–19.
3. Pope John Paul II, address, 22 November 1986, Auckland, New Zealand. As quoted by López, ed., The Meaning of Vocation, 19.
4. Pope John Paul II, address, 1 October 1979, Boston, Massachusetts, United States. As quoted by López, ed., The Meaning of Vocation, 19–20.