DON’T WE BELIEVE IN LUST ANYMORE?

SABBATH

Perhaps the title for this reflection should read: Don’t we believe that lust is a sin anymore? Why do I ask such a question? I ask this because of the sexually charged atmosphere in our present society. Billboards, magazines, TV shows, the Internet and so on are full of sexually charged images that I truly wonder whether or not we consider modesty to be something of a virtue anymore or if it no longer matters how we express our sexuality and with whom? Our sexuality, a wonderful gift of God to us, enables human beings to enter into an intimacy and depth of relationship that allows them to image the creative power of God. However, it seems that we are happy to put our sexuality up for sale and think nothing of it; we are happy to be bombarded with sexual images that are attempting to incite our sexual desire and we are not campaigning for greater protection for our children from such irresponsibility. Society seems to want to have it both ways — they want absolute freedom of sexual expression for themselves and then are horrified when their teenage children do not show any sexual restraint. All I feel like doing is knock on people’s heads and ask if there is anyone home who is really thinking about this contradiction. The sexual revolution of the ‘60s has turned into a nightmare for human relationships. Children become sexualized by their environment at an age when they are incapable of dealing with the depth of emotions involved. Parents are tearing their hair out having to deal with teenage pregnancy and kids who are sexually active in their early teens. Is this healthy? Of course not! What can we do about it? Society is obviously not going to do anything about it as sex sells and every advertising company knows this fact. The only way we can do anything to protect our children is to instill in them the values of purity and modesty from an early age in order to give them the other side of the sexual story.  Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL   Reflection Question: What can I do to promote the values of sexual modesty and purity in my life?   Holy Spirit, may I live with purity of heart, mind and action and be at least a small beacon of light promoting the dignity and beauty of human sexuality.   St. Elias, pray for us.