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CHAPTER I
CHASTITY, THE LIGHT OF YOUTH
"The light of thy body is thy eye," says ourSaviour; "is thy eye simple, then thy wholebody is lightsome." Yes, indeed, effectuallyand cheerfully does our body perform its task,and confidently does it strive to attain itsmark, so long as the eye is sound, so long asit is bright, and able to receive exterior light."But if thy eye be evil," thus continues ourLord, "thy whole body shall be darksome;"then the body feels uneasy, then it tremblesat every movement, then dangers threaten it;now, an abyss, then robbers or wild animals,sometimes other unforeseen perils, which itis not able to avoid.Your light is your chastity; it is the lightof your soul. The more perfect your chastity,the brighter your soul, the more resplendentbefore God, the better able to reflect the likeness of the Most High, and to receive withinitself every other virtue. Chastity is, moreover, the light of your body; it gives to thebody a certain brightness, it clothes it witha becoming charm, it impresses it with something indescribably heavenly, which wonderfully elevates it, in contrast to its oppositedegrading vice.Wonder not, therefore, if I undertake toplace even this virtue before you, and, as it
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were, unroll there its splendour. Oh! that itmight so charm you, that, in order to obtainthis treasure, you would be willing to engagein every combat, and to make every sacrifice.Are you chaste, then you possess all things;as long as you are not chaste—then all is yetto be accomplished, then the most important,the most eminent virtue is certainly wanting.Are you chaste—have you preserved yourchastity, or have you by a great and continualstruggle recovered it? then, indeed, you maysay, as it is written in the Book of Wisdom:"All good things come to me with her, andinnumerable riches through her hand. "
 Example
We read in the life of St. Jerome, that hehad an insatiable thirst for learning. Whenstill very young, his father sent him to Rometo complete his studies. In this city, he hadthe misfortune of growing careless in the ex-ercise of that piety which had been instilledinto him in his infancy. He no longer restrain-ed his passions, and was full only of wordlyviews. Being, however, very desirous of improv-ing in his studies, he resolved to travel. Hevisited the famous schools at Marseilles,Toulouse, Bordeaux and Treves. At this latterplace, he was conducted by the Divine Mercyinto the paths of virtue and salvation; in consequence of which he took a resolution todevote himself wholly to the divine service ina state of perpetual chastity. After he had formed this resolution, he dedicated his greatlearning to the service of Almighty God. In10
 
order to accomplish this the more fully, and,at the same time the more securely to protecthis virtue, he retired into a desert lying between Syria and Arabia, where the holy abbotTheodosius received him with great joy.Although he made such progress in his learning, as to be considered the most learned of all the Latin fathers, still the devil did notdesist from tempting him most violently to sinsagainst holy purity. He himself says of thesesevere afflictions: "My face was pale withfasting, and yet my body felt violent assaultsof irregular desires: and though I vigorouslyrepressed all their sallies, they strove alwaysto rise again. I often joined whole nights todays, crying, sighing, and beating my breasttill the desired calm returned. The Lord ismy witness, that after so many sobs and tears,after having looked in such sorrow up toHeaven, I experienced most delightful comfortand interior sweetness, and these were sogreat, that transported and absorbed, I seemedto myself to be amidst the choirs of Angels;and glad and joyful, I sang to God: 'AfterThee, O Lord, we will run in the fragrancy of Thy celestial ointments. 'If you but knew the worth of chastity, howcarefully would you watch over this lightof your soul, that it might not be turned intodarkness! Oh! how happy you are as long asthis eye of your soul is bright and serene; woeto you, however, if it is surrounded by darkness.
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