virgins

Today in honor of St. Agatha, I would like to reflect with you on virginity. Please do not worry I am not going to make you raise your hands asking you whether you are a virgin or not.
In our age which is still very much part of the sexual revolution, virginity may be considered something alien, something out of this world, something impossible to maintain and uphold. For preachers it is something equally impossible to preach. Either one is too embarrassed to talk about it or is afraid to be labeled as too distant in a world which demands that its preachers be more down to earth. But I believe, not talking about it, is precisely the reason why it has become an alien virtue in our present virtue in the present day, something that should be preached to some old nuns in a dreary convent, rather than to some jolly young people who happens to be here in this chapel. Nevertheless preach we must, otherwise St. Agatha who died at 250 AD may become a relic from a remote age. But Agatha is significant and it is precisely this virtue that makes her significant for us today, a virtue in total contrast to the values of our generation and culture.


In the old Gregorian missal which was not translated literally by our present sacramentary it distinguishes two heroic deeds in the life of Agatha. It speaks of the power of martyrdom and the merit of chastity. Power of Martyrdom. This is because martyrdom reveals to us the power of God, it is a privilege, a grace which can only come from God.
However it speaks of chastity or virginity as a merit. A merit because it requires the cooperation of the person with God. It is a constant struggle, a constant denial, all of which are purely voluntary and a free response. A martyr in contrast is always placed in a dilemma, for he is placed in a situation wherein his choices are practically narrowed down. He may choose to die and he becomes a saint. He may chose not to die and he commits sin, somebody who may be looked down upon by his Christian community. Thus martyrdom is tremendous grace which is brought about by an opportune situation wherein a Christian is invited to profess his faith with his blood.
In a life of virginity the choices are wide. You can choose more freely without fear of being ostracized or looked down upon. In fact choosing the opposite may even make some of us popular.
Virginity became the highest value around the time of Agatha’s death when martyrdom was waning. In the time of persecutions, martyrdom was the highest testimony one can give to prove that you love Christ dearly more than any other, even life itself. When persecutions stopped virginity replaced martyrdom. It became the highest proof of one’s total dedication, total self-giving, single-hearted devotion of which I am informed your group took as a name.
You should be virgins forever. I think Noodles and Binky understood this very well. That is why they got out of the group otherwise it would be too late for their other plans. Anyway they remain with you in spirit for your loss is my gain.
You should be virgins forever. If you are no longer virgins because you have married, then be chaste in your married life. It is the mark of a disciple, one who was just instructed to take nothing on the journey, no food, no traveling bag, no second tunic. Single-hearted devotion, that is virginity, that is the replacement of martyrdom.
As I usually do during homilies I offer practical advise, which does not usually mean that I follow them to the letter. Just one practical advise in order to remain a virgin or at the very least maintain that single-hearted devotion to Christ.
In whatever journey, it is always good and safer to go two by two. I am not saying this because I am afraid you are going to be raped. I am saying this because virginity is merit, it requires your cooperation to the grace of God. And this cooperation requires the support of a community, a healthy community like your community. It requires the support of each other. I believe that sex is not just for sex’s sake. Sex is a longing for intimacy. It is an expression of intimacy. It is a longing for union with the other.
But sex is not the sole expression of intimacy. There are other ways, there are other means left untapped. Sometimes I could even say that we can be so naked in front of each other without being intimate. Community life may be an alternative, an equally powerful alternative. And so is prayer, for otherwise, how can we explain St. Teresa of Avila having her ecstasy, her orgasm (to make it more earthy) on an altar in a church in Italy beautifully portrayed by Baroque sculptor Bernini? The point is, we can be better off with this virtue which we must merit, which we must struggle with, which we must make efforts to maintain, if we journey two by two, never alone, but two by two.
Value your community life, value your prayer life, for virginity and chastity like sex find their common satisfaction in relationships – relationships that really matter. For life is indeed a paradox, to be single-hearted you need to be at least two.