 |
Purity Symptoms
By: Santiago Ortega Serrano
The dictionary defines the word symptom as: “Signal or clue that something is happening or is going to happen”. When we go to the doctor we tell him what we feel, or what part of our body aches, those are the symptoms; now the medicine prescribed by the doctor is aimed at curing the illness.
I wanted to make an analogy between symptoms and purity, not because I consider it an illness but for the following reasons:
• A doctor knows what is the illness of his patient, in the same way a person is pure because of his/her behavior, conduct and way of being.
• In order to cure an illness we have to go step by step to get to the core of the illness; in the same way if a person wants to live a holy purity, he/she has to change his/her own person, behavior and conducts.
• There are a lot of medicines, some are to heal the symptoms, others for the illness, some to feel more energetic, and so on. In the same way there are many “medicines” in order to become pure: The most important is the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which gives us the gift to be able to love the others, a second but very important medicine is generosity, and to practice charity, there are also minor medicines but important such as exercise, good food, healthy friendships, etc.
Now, it is also important to know that purity is not the most important virtue, charity is. A person who loves the others resembles more to our Lord Jesus Christ every day, this is the center of everything and as something secondary is that a person who is charitable lives holy purity. That is why the symptoms of purity are the following:
1. A person who lives purity does not worry to exercise this virtue, he worries to be more generous and love more the others. (This symptom must be always present to exercise any virtue).
2. He/she is not thinking “I must not see pornography”, “I must not masturbate” because even if he/she does not do that the nervous system does not recognize negative phrases. For example if I tell you: “Do not thing in a pink elephant” you immediately think of it. In the same way people who is thinking “I must not...” is necessarily thinking about it and it is easier to fall into that kind of conducts. A person who lives purity thinks positive “ I want to love” “I want to help” I want to work better”.
3. A person who lives purity, most surly has friends, goes out, has fun, has a good performance at school and at work (without exaggerations because that could also be a symptom of impurity) but above all that person lives joy, he/she is happy.
4. He/she does not forget to ask his/her Mother to teach him/her how to love the way She did when She was holding the child. He/she does not forget either to offer every smile and every moment of the day.
5. He/she acts naturally. It is very important that that symptom is present. Lets mention a clinic example: Two people watching a movie, there is an improper scene. The first one feels shocked, gets mad, complains with the manager; the second one, turns his head and keeps enjoying the picture. After a while the first guy is still mad and with the image of the picture in his head; while the second one enjoyed the picture and has already forgotten the scene.
6. He/she never judges others if they cannot practice such virtue, he/she tries to help them in silence, with prayers and encouraging friendship.
7. He/she lives very calmly, he/she is not an anxious person because he/she knows what he/she feels and knows how to accept it. On the other hand, anxiety is always present in impurity and when this anxiety can be talked out, a person becomes purer and more creative. It is important to take into consideration the next two points for the treatment of this subject:
• These symptoms are the same for any virtue. In essence the real work is to encourage the virtue or charity and love to others.
• Saint Thomas of Aquine used to say that a virtue is the repetition of good actions. Good actions to be repeated have to be with love to others.
It has also been discovered, when studying Purity, some alternative treatments, which can help to exercise it:
• Talking, while we put into words what we feel and think, we can take control of our desires and make better decisions about our affectivity.
• Exercise, art and social activities; it is incredible that through such activities, a person can take out all that sexual energy, that is not bad, and turns to be very useful to grow in this areas.
• Ask for help: There is always somebody who can help, for example, parents, a priest, a health professional like a psychologist or making contact with ALMAS.
• Above all, prayer, knowing that God is not going to leave us alone. St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer says: Oh my God how easy is to persevere, knowing that you are the good Shepard and us – you and I- sheep of your flock! - Because we know very well that the Good Shepard gives his whole life for each and everyone of His sheep” (Forja, 319).
|
|
|
 |
