The Value Of Virginity

The lecture for today is the value of virginity. But how can we begin to value virginity? Can we put a price on something that is immaterial? With gold we can set a price of American dollars, but with virginity how can we begin to set the price of this treasure? We must compare virginity to something that is immaterial. Divine Grace is immaterial. Divine Grace is infinite value, because the soul is of infinite value for it is made in the image of God. We can also lose divine grace but also gain it through the mercy of God. However with virginity, when it is lost, it is lost forever. No matter how many times we go to the Sacrament of Penance, we cannot regain our virginity. We can regain the spirit of Virginity. “I tell you without hesitation,” writes St. Jerome “that though God is Almighty, He cannot restore a virginity that has been lost.” “And no price is worthy of a continent soul,” writes Ecclesiasticus. The question we ought to ask ourselves is why do we see so many people lose their virginity? The first problem is that people do not sincerely pray. Those who do not pray lose their souls, as St. Alphonsus tells us in his treatise. If we do not take care of the precious treasure as Divine Grace, what makes us think someone will take care of their virginity? My dear friends, I have always loved my virginity, by the grace of God. After attending the Annunciation Seminary for about a year, I was undoubtedly wanted to retain my virginity. For no woman on earth now can understand or appreciate the value of my virginity. Only God can appreciate its value. What then is more beautiful than espousing God? That is the specific reason why I chose to vow my virginity, body, and soul to God. God is infinitely beautiful just like virginity. We must make the analogy that just as God can be lost forever eternally and never can be gain back after death, so to can virginity never be regained back. Think about that. The reason why many people lose their virginity is because they do not appreciate God who is of infinite value just like virginity. For “the number of fools,” says Ecclesiastes the Old Testament Prophet, “is infinite.” Let the numbers of fools be infinite, I will not be one of them. I am espoused to God who is infinitely wise and therefore can be infinitely appreciative. He alone can truly appreciate the value of my virginity. He alone can truly understand the sacrifices I had to suffer throughout my whole life being a virgin. Since God is infinitely appreciative of my virginity He can bestow upon me infinite gratitude, that means infinite love. Everyone is looking for love in the wrong places. They however do not think of God as being a true Spouse. A Spouse that can satisfy one's soul. For the soul is immaterial and the solution must an immaterial. Divine Love is immaterial and therefore we can conclude it is the solution. It is the source of all virtues as St. Paul states in his epistle. Why my dear friends do we not want to love God as a Spouse? It is because we do not want to love virginity or the spirit of virginity. “It is too hard,” you may say “to resist all these temptations of impurity.” Let me ask you this. Is God not faithful? Will He let His Spouse fall into grievous sins? Will He let His enemy, Satan who He infinitely hates, snatch His Spouse? No, God is faithful. The only thing that can snatch His Spouse from Himself, is the will of His own Spouse. If I told God, I desired not to be espouse to you anymore, there is nothing that Infinitely Beautiful God can do. There is no grace that could stop a will that is obstinate in its perversity. That is the beauty of the freedom of the will of man. He can either choose God or choose Satan. The will of man is a will of love. Man can either love of chastity or love of impurity. How is the love of purity attained? It is solely through contemplation that purity is attain. It is the continual desire in man's heart and will that he obtains His beloved Spouse, who is infinitely pure. Sanctity consists solely in desire and continual practice of remaining pure from all sin. For he who hates virginity hates God Himself. For those that hate virginity have a immoral hatred of divine grace. The hate of ones virginity is shown by their immoral actions. Whenever I think of my virginity I think of my Spouse who is infinitely pure. Purity is to the soul as to bread is to the body. It is one of the beatitudes. Christ says, “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.” Blessed are those that thirst and hunger after purity for they will have their fill. For justice is defined as holiness. And holiness consists in purity. The soul eats, allegorically speaking, purity in contemplation. The more the soul becomes satisfied in contemplation, the more it desires that purity alone satisfies it. As it eats this heavenly food, normal food becomes disgusting and revolting. The taste of normal food almost becomes noxious. The soul desires its true nourishment, that is purity. For purity alone can bring contentment to the soul. Just like ice cream leaves an after taste, that is what sin does to the soul, it leaves emptiness and a bitter conscience. Purity however, does not leave the soul bitter, but rather it leaves the soul happy, content, and a greater ardent desire to obtain purity. The soul becomes more detached to the world and more attached to God its Spouse. What my dear friends brings to the heart the ecstasy of love that actually detaches the soul from the body as what happened to the Saints? Only those that are espouse to God can have their souls detached from their bodies and rest in infinite purity Itself; just as a pig delights wallowing in mud, so does the soul delights being immersed in purity.