What I Will Teach About Human Sexuality
...that their bodies are special and fragile, must never be abused, and are considered their first home, a safe place. I will tell them that their bodies derive a deeper meaning from their souls, which are at the deepest center of their personal selves and reveal their inner qualities. Thus, their bodies are vehicles of the soul’s presence to the world. The next point that I must reiterate is that their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and are meant for a holy purpose because they were united with Christ in Baptism. Since the water in Baptism is used to imitate the purity of Christ, then all the baptized are called to chastity, which is a moral virtue and the right use of God’s gift of sexuality. Married people practice chastity by expressing their love for each other and welcoming children in faithful married love. Single people, including ordained ministers who have taken a vow of celibacy, practice chastity by abstaining from sexual activity. I must convince my young students that their bodies by their very structure reveal their natural God-given purposes. Their bodies are structured for sexual union between a man and a woman, and sexual activity is appropriate only in the sacrament of marriage because it is a sign and pledge of spiritual communion in the eyes of God. After instilling in my students the sanctity and true meaning of marriage, I will further praise the virtue of chastity and the right to bodily integrity. I will inform them that chastity helps them to understand and identify actions or behaviors which are wrong or sinful. I will encourage them to avoid actions, experiences, or behaviors which offend against chastity; and, if they become tempted, I will urge them to pray for courage and grace and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharist regularly. If I teach them to appreciate the true meaning of their bodies and to learn to govern their passions, they will draw true strength from their inner souls. After all, their bodies are shaped by the virtues of their souls. I will stress to them that true beauty comes from the soul when it is rooted in interior purity, wholesome vitality,...