know jesus — know purity
"John had told him, 'It is not right for you to live with her.' " —Matthew 14:4
John the Baptist was martyred for telling Herod: "It is not right for you to live with her." Because today many people are living together outside of marriage, we also have numerous opportunities to repeat John's words to today's Herods and be persecuted, even martyred, as John was.
However, John's last recorded words must be heard in the context of his earlier words in reference to Jesus: "Look! There is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!" (Jn 1:29) It is at best useless to tell people to repent of sin, including sexual sin, without telling them of the only One Who can forgive their sin and save them from being trapped in sin forever (Rm 7:24-25). In our promiscuous society, we need courageous crusaders for purity and against sexual sin. However, these crusaders will be successful only if they are above all evangelizers constantly pointing to Jesus, the Lamb of God.
At Holy Communion, we proclaim: "Behold, the Lamb of God." Let us do this frequently in our daily lives. Then we and those around us will be able to be pure and holy.
Prayer: Father, make my love for Jesus the source of my purity (see 1 Jn 3:3).
Promise: "This fiftieth year you shall make sacred by proclaiming liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you." —Lv 25:10
Praise: St. Eusebius fixed his eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:2). He wrote: "I forget my past sufferings. Consolations surround me on all sides: your firm faith, your love, your good works."
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape Sex, Speech, and the Risen Life on audio AV 4B-3 or video V-4B.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Richard L. Klug, February 27, 2003
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 3, 2003