Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, TX explains his recent blog about glorious chastity. He delves into the differences between chastity and celibacy, what chastity means for people of different vocations, and how living out chastity is every person’s responsibility.
“God’s plan is for Glorious Chastity to always guide sexual desires along a path of accompaniment with His Divine Plan and the wondrous gift of participating in His creation. He has created us in His image. In His awesome love, He has opened the door for a man and woman to channel their natural attractions through His will to cooperate with Him in continuing His creative love in the world. The glorious beauty of God’s plan allows a man and woman, committed to each other in the marital bond, to be open to God’s creativity and to the possibility of begetting children as they express their love in profound intimacy. We need to step away from today’s casual familiarity with what a sexual relationship involves and be in awe of God’s grand design which allows us to truly live as His children. Glorious Chastity means that every legitimate sexual act is directed toward God’s creative plan. Even for the spousal love of a man and woman committed in marriage, they must always seek to live chastely. They are challenged to ensure that every natural urge and desire is channeled toward their one true love and blessed before God.” -Bishop Strickland