Operation-Purity
1. Situation.
·
Make no mistake we are
in a battle for our soul and the soul of the world.
The Secret.[1]
It’s
no secret that porn usage has increased drastically over the years. Things that
are considered mainstream used to be blatantly considered porn. We also know
not only is this a moral problem but studies have shown more porn use
correlates with less grey matter in the reward
circuit (dorsal striatum). Matt Fradd says, “when you are at
your best, you must prepare for your worst” in regard to fighting pornography
addiction. We must flee from sexual immorality as St. Paul says. Leaving a
porn addiction behind involves life changes in several aspects. “The secret of
change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building
the new.” – Socrates. Integrity Restored has
a great website to helping overcome porn. They list 7 steps in recovering from
porn addiction.
1. Honest,
Self-knowledge and Commitment
2. Purifying your
Life
3. Support and
Accountability
4. Counseling
5. Spiritual
Plan
6. Education
and
7. Virtue. We
encourage you to visit their website for more information.
·
The Chase Man or Woman
gives to God true worship by dedicating to God's will their Mind, Heart, Soul
and Strength-This is to Love God above all things. This is the Shema Israel
·
Modern Men and Women are
in a battle with the World, the Flesh and the Devil-We are all Soldiers of
Christ.
THE
VIRTUES OF A SOLDIER OF CHRIST[2]
Another way to
illustrate the virtues of a real man*
of God is by reference to a good soldier. The relation between a man of God and
a soldier will seem either somewhat obvious or a stretch depending upon your
larger views of the military and military interventions. If you do not see the
connection at this point, I ask you to bear with me briefly, because I think
its relevance will soon become apparent.
A good soldier,
especially one fit for battle, generally has the following ten traits, among
others:
1.
He is willing to give his life to protect others.
2.
He is task-oriented, and lets his actions speak for themselves.
3.
He does his duty, even when it is unappreciated.
4.
He is a man of honor, who is loyal to others and to his
principles.
5.
He is rooted in discipline and strength.
6.
He may be tender and compassionate but never soft.
7.
He sees himself as part of a unit, a band of brothers, greater
than himself.
8.
He follows the chain of command, without considering it demeaning.
9.
He is courageous, even and especially when heroism is required.
10. He sees sacrifice as an
opportunity to show his character and demonstrate love.
The practical and theological relevance of these
observations for our discussion can be seen very readily in the fact that all
ten of these traits can be said, without a stretch, about the God-man Jesus
Christ.
• He was willing to give his life to protect
others – Jesus willingly gave his life to save us. He is the Good Shepherd who
made good on his promise to give his life for his sheep (John 10:11). Even in
the Garden of Gethsemane, as he handed himself over, he demanded that his
disciples be let go (John 18:8).
• He was task-oriented, and let his actions
speak for themselves – from his earliest days, when he announced he was “about
the Father’s business” (Luke 2:49), his whole life was dedicated to
accomplishing that mission. He lived by the same principles he taught, not to
be distracted from his purpose (Luke 10:4), which not even the devil could do
by promising him all the power of the world (Matthew 4:9). He let his actions
also speak more loudly than his words. As he said once when challenged by the
Pharisees, “Even if you do not believe me, believe the works” (John 10:25, 37;
14:10). He backed up each of his discourses with miracles that testified to his
power, the greatest miracle and message of all being what he said from the
pulpits of the Cross and the empty tomb.
• He did his duty, even when it was
unappreciated – Jesus fulfilled his mission even when one of his apostles
thought he was less valuable than 30 silver pieces, when the rest of his
hand-picked men ran away, when he was hammered to wood by those for whom he was
dying, when he was mocked by four different groups as he agonizingly hung from
the Cross, wondering all the while, “When the Son of man comes, will he find
faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8). He was the “grain of wheat” that fell to the
ground and died, knowing that that seed would hit hardened, rocky, weedy soil
in addition to good, but he did it anyway (John 12:24; Luke 8:5ff). Yet, at the
end of it all, he cried out in triumph, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) which
was the equivalent of “mission accomplished.”
• He was a man of honor, who was loyal to others
and to his principles – Jesus kept his dignity, even when being tempted by the
devil, tested by the hypocritical Pharisees, beaten by the brutal guards, and
mocked by thieves and passersby. He was loyal to his disciples, never
abandoning them though they abandoned him; to Israelites, despite the many
times they broke God’s covenant; to sinners, no matter what their sin. He was
knightly in his protection and care for women in need and danger, like the
woman caught in adultery, the woman at the well in Samaria, and the woman who
washed his feet with her tears in the house of Simon the Pharisee.
• He was rooted in discipline and strength – He
called himself the “stronger man” who would overpower the devil and divide his
spoils (Luke 11:22), who could calm even the winds and the sea (Matthew 8:27),
who would repeatedly say to his frightened followers, “Do not be afraid. It is
I!” (Matthew 14:27). His strength was shown most when out of discipline he did
not use it, when tempted in the desert or on the Cross. His power was always
used not for his own benefit but for others, to teach them the discipline that
makes disciples.
• He was tender and compassionate but never soft
– He who was “meek and humble of heart,” who cared compassionately for parents
and widows, for the woman caught in adultery, for the crowds who were like
sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 11:29; Luke 7:12; John 8:3; Mark 6:34), was also capable of driving
the money changers from the temple with a whip, calling the Pharisees
“whitewashed sepulchers” and telling forgiven sinners to “go and sin no more”
(John 2:14; Matthew 23:27; John 8:11).
• He saw himself as part of a unit, a band of
brothers – Jesus came from heaven to earth to form a family with the same
Father in heaven (Matthew 12:50). To that family, the Church, he gave his whole
mission. To the twelve whom he associated most intimately in this task, he gave
his own power to turn bread and wine into his Body and Blood and to forgive
sins in his name (Luke 22:19-20; Matthew 16:19; John 20:19-23). To the Church he
gave his whole message (Matthew 28:18-20). He said that all members of the
Church were a part of him, as branches on the vine (John 15:5).
• He followed the chain of command, without
considering it a threat – Jesus said simply, “I seek not my own will but the
will of him who sent me,” “I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as
the Father taught me” and “not my will, but thine, be done” (John 5:30; John
8:28; Luke 22:42).
• He was courageous, even and especially when
heroism was required – Courage is doing what ought to be done in spite of one’s
fears, a virtue Jesus showed us time and again, but especially during his agony
and on Good Friday. Despite asking for the cup of suffering to pass from him,
he drank it to the dregs, sweating blood-filled perspiration, being beaten,
scourged and crucified for our sake (Matthew 26:39).
• He saw sacrifice as an opportunity to show his
character and demonstrate love – “Greater love has no man than this,” he said,
“that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13) and he evinced that
love in hundreds of little ways and unforgettably through his supreme sacrifice.
The real Christian man will seek to embody these same virtues. They will help
him to become a real soldier of Christ. They will help form him to be another
Christ and train him to love others as Christ loves.
2. Mission: To love
God with all your mind, heart, soul and strength and your neighbor as yourself.
3. Execution:
a. The Chase man or woman should fast once a
week on the day of their choice (suggestion Fridays) giving their total mind, heart, soul and
strength to God. After the completing the 15 hourly prayers you may break your
fast.
b. The Chase man or woman should pray and ask
the aid of God and his angels and saints.
- Upon waking and during the day make the prayers of Purity hourly.
- After making your first day of purity repeat one petition a day for 15 days going to confession if you fail immediately.
- repeat the 15 day until you are pure for 15 days doing daily communion.
- repeat again until you are clean for 30 days.
- go to daily Mass.
V. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit.
R. Amen.
R. Amen.
The Prayer to St. Thomas for Purity
Chosen lily of innocence, pure St. Thomas,
who kept chaste the robe of baptism,
and became an angel in the flesh after being girded by two angels,
we (I) implore you to commend us (me) to Jesus, the Spotless Lamb,
and to Mary, the Queen of Virgins.
Gentle protector of our (my) purity, ask them that we (I),
who wear the holy sign of your victory over the flesh,
may also share your purity,
and after imitating you on earth
may at last come to be crowned with you among the angels. Amen.
who kept chaste the robe of baptism,
and became an angel in the flesh after being girded by two angels,
we (I) implore you to commend us (me) to Jesus, the Spotless Lamb,
and to Mary, the Queen of Virgins.
Gentle protector of our (my) purity, ask them that we (I),
who wear the holy sign of your victory over the flesh,
may also share your purity,
and after imitating you on earth
may at last come to be crowned with you among the angels. Amen.
The Prayer of St. Thomas for Purity
Dear Jesus,
I know that every perfect gift,
and especially that of chastity,
depends on the power of Your providence.
Without You a mere creature can do nothing.
Therefore, I beg You to defend by Your grace
the chastity and purity of my body and soul.
And if I have ever sensed or imagined anything
that could stain my chastity and purity,
blot it out, Supreme Lord of my powers,
that I may advance with a pure heart in Your love and service,
offering myself on the most pure altar of Your divinity
all the days of my life. Amen.
I know that every perfect gift,
and especially that of chastity,
depends on the power of Your providence.
Without You a mere creature can do nothing.
Therefore, I beg You to defend by Your grace
the chastity and purity of my body and soul.
And if I have ever sensed or imagined anything
that could stain my chastity and purity,
blot it out, Supreme Lord of my powers,
that I may advance with a pure heart in Your love and service,
offering myself on the most pure altar of Your divinity
all the days of my life. Amen.
Opening Prayer of St. Thomas for Purity
Dear Jesus,
we (I) know that every perfect gift,
and especially that of chastity,
depends on the power of Your providence.
Without You a mere creature can do nothing.
Therefore, we (I) beg You to defend by Your grace
the chastity and purity of our (my) bodies (body) and souls (soul).
And if we (I) have ever sensed or imagined anything
that could stain our (my) chastity and purity,
blot it out, Supreme Lord of our (my) powers,
that we (I) may advance with a pure heart in Your love and service,
offering ourselves (myself) on the most pure altar of Your divinity
all the days of our (my) lives (life). Amen.
we (I) know that every perfect gift,
and especially that of chastity,
depends on the power of Your providence.
Without You a mere creature can do nothing.
Therefore, we (I) beg You to defend by Your grace
the chastity and purity of our (my) bodies (body) and souls (soul).
And if we (I) have ever sensed or imagined anything
that could stain our (my) chastity and purity,
blot it out, Supreme Lord of our (my) powers,
that we (I) may advance with a pure heart in Your love and service,
offering ourselves (myself) on the most pure altar of Your divinity
all the days of our (my) lives (life). Amen.
LESSONS AGAINST IMPURITY.
“I
have married a wife, and therefore cannot come.” Luke xiv. 20.
By
introducing in this parable a wedding as an excuse, Our Saviour points out
impurity as a hinderance to entering into the kingdom of heaven; that is, the
violation of modesty, either in thought, imagination, or desire, in gesture,
words, dress, or actions; thus He would show us how detestable, shameful, and
pernicious is this vice, which makes men so miserable, and incite us to purity
and chastity, in whatever state of life we may live. On account of this sin of
impurity, God repented of having created mankind, and brought the flood upon
the earth, destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha with fire and brimstone, cut off the
brothers Her and Onan by sudden death, and gave nearly the whole tribe of
Benjamin to be slain.
What
are the best means to preserve us from impurity?
1.
Avoid the following: (a) idleness, which breeds evil thoughts and desires; (b)
reading bad books; (c) excess in eating and drinking; (d) bad company.
2.
(a) Preserve modesty, which is a safeguard against impurity; (b) reverence God;
(c) remember the bitter passion and death of Our Saviour; (d) think frequently
of death, judgment, and hell.
3.
Flee the first sin; dread the first thought, the first motion; avoid, also,
what appears a trifling thing, if it offends modesty.
4.
Be zealous in prayer to God, and to His blessed Mother.
5.
Restrain your senses, particularly your eyes. Learn to be abstemious, and deny
yourself even lawful enjoyments and pleasures, that you may the more easily
give up those that are unlawful.
6.
Watch always, and especially on occasions that cannot be avoided.
7.
Finally, go often to holy communion, and choose a zealous confessor, in whom
you ought to place entire confidence and follow as your father. Think on God;
combat on every occasion promptly, without making terms; call confidently on
God for help, and you will carry off the victory, and become worthy, one day,
to be a follower of the Lamb.
Petitions for Chastity with 15 Hail Mary’s:
1.
Dear Jesus, bless our
social and cultural climate. Grant that it may be purified of everything
contrary to chastity, and that we may have the strength to resist the pressures
of prevailing ideologies. “In the world you have tribulation; but be of good
cheer, I have conquered the world” (Jn. 16:33) “In
all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37) Hail Mary…
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18
2.
Dear Jesus, bless our
relationships. Grant that they may be holy, healthy, and honorable at all
times. “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere
love of the brethren, love one another earnestly from the heart” (1 Pet. 1:22) Hail Mary…
But I tell you that if you look at another woman and want her, you are already unfaithful in your thoughts.
Matthew 5:28
3.
Dear Jesus, bless our
modesty in our dress and movement. Grant that the way we dress and carry
ourselves may veil the mystery of our being, and that we may have the strength
to resist the allurements of fashion and the glamour of sin. “Do not be
conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Rom. 12:2)Hail Mary…
And then he added, ‘It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you. Mark 7:20-23
4.
Dear Jesus, bless our
five senses. Grant that the things we see, the music and jokes we hear, the
food we eat, what we drink, the fragrances we smell and the encounters we have
through touch may all be pure and holy. “Seek the things that are above” (Col. 3:1) Hail Mary…
For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life
—comes not from the Father but from the world.
1 John 2:16
5.
Dear Jesus, bless our
sensuality. Grant that our impulses may not be captivated by base pleasures,
but freed by wisdom and inflamed for what is good. “In your struggle against
sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood” (Heb. 12:4) Hail Mary…
So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Colossians 3:5
6.
Dear Jesus, bless our
imagination, Grant that we may be preserved from any fantasies that defile us,
that all impure images may vanish, and that we may be protected from all the
assaults of demons. “Be renewed in the spirit of your minds…Put on the whole
armor of God” (Eph. 4:23, 6:11) Hail Mary…
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
7.
Dear Jesus, bless our
memory. Grant that no memories of past experiences may disturb us in any way,
but that the Lord may touch and heal us through hope for a better future. “And
every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure” (1 Jn. 3:1) Hail Mary…
Dear friends, I warn you as ‘temporary residents and foreigners to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.1 Peter 2:11
8.
Dear Jesus, bless our
estimation. Grant that we may quickly sense dangers to chastity and
instinctively flee from them, that we may never turn away from higher, more
difficult, and more honorable goods for the sake of sinful self-indulgence. “Do
not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and
where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in
and steal.” (Mt. 6:19-20) Hail Mary…
Young people can live a clean life by obeying your word. I worship you with all my heart. Don’t let me walk away from your commands. Psalms 119:9-10
9.
Dear Jesus, bless our
affectivity. Grant that we may love chastity and rejoice in it, that all of our
emotions may cooperate in its growth, and that no sadness, discouragement, fear,
insecurity, or loneliness may afflict us unto sexual sin. “For the grace of God
has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly
desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await
the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus
Christ” (Titus 2:11-12) Hail Mary…
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
10. Dear Jesus, bless our intellect. Grant that it
may be purged of all false beliefs and misunderstandings about human sexuality
and that the good angels may flood our intellects with thoughts that are
gracious, pure, lovely, honorable, and true. “Finally, brethren, whatever is
true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything
worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil. 4:8) Hail Mary…
You say, ‘Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.’ (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.1 Corinthians 6:13
11. Dear Jesus, bless our will. Grant that it may
never be opposed by our sensuality, that it may never be divided or conflicted
in the moment, but may hold fast to chastity no matter how difficult it may be.
“For the Son of God, Jesus Christ…was not Yes and No; but in him it is always
Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him.” (2 Cor. 1:19-20) Hail Mary…
Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers, God will judge. Hebrews 13:4
12. Dear Jesus, bless our conscience. Grant that
it may be swift to judge what is the chaste thing to do, swifter to execute it,
and wholly preserved from the suggestions of demons. “How much more shall the
blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish
to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:14) Hail Mary…
I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it.
Psalm 101:3
13. Dear Jesus, bless our hearts. Grant that the
place where Christ abides in us with the Father and the Spirit may become the
place where we live with the Holy Trinity in friendship. “Jesus answered him,
‘If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we
will come to him and make our home with him.’ ” (Jn.
14:23) Hail Mary…
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22
14. Dear Jesus, give us the grace of
self-surrender. Grant that we may hand over to God nothing less than our whole
lives. “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk. 23:46) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:3) Hail Mary…
Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. Proverbs 6:25
15. Dear Jesus, give us Your love. “In this is
love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the
expiation for our sins.” (1 Jn. 4:10) “But God shows His love for us in that
while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8) Hail Mary…
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
Closing Prayer
Heavenly King,
Consoler, Spirit of Truth, You who are everywhere present and fill all things,
Treasury of all that is good, Choirmaster of Life, Come, dwell within us,
cleanse us of all stain, and save our souls O Good One. Amen
V. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
R. Amen.
[2] http://www.kofc.org/un/en/resources/cis/cis322.pdf
* applies to both sexes
Mary is God greatest soldier.
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