Day 306: Gift of Self

Charity is the form of all the virtues. Under its influence, chastity appears as a school of the gift of the person. Self-mastery is ordered to the gift of self. Chastity leads him who practices it to become a witness to his neighbor of God's fidelity and loving kindness. CCC 2346

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the gift of self in terms of chastity. As discussed yesterday, all Christians are called to chastity, but only a few are called to celibacy (CCC 2348-49). There are many forms of sin against chastity stemming from the vice of lust, including adultery, masturbation, fornication, pornography, prostitution, rape, and homosexual acts. Each of these is probably even worse when it involves minors due to the exploitation of their innocence. Needless to say, one who falls into any of these needs to repent and confess their sinful acts. The Catechism provides more detail on these topics in tomorrow's reading.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes in what way everyone is called to live chastity:

As followers of Christ, the model of all chastity, all the baptized are called to live chastely in keeping with their particular states of life. Some profess virginity or consecrated celibacy, which enables them to give themselves to God alone with an undivided heart in a remarkable manner. Others, if they are married, live in conjugal chastity, or if unmarried, practice chastity in continence. (#491)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this: 

As bodily and spiritual beings, our integrity is the extent to which we keep in harmony those two aspects of ourselves. Our call is ruling ourselves and learning to have a new heart. Love is a giving of self, and every virtue is motivated by love... Chastity is not just about saying no but is oriented toward a meaningful yes. Every person is made to make a gift of himself or herself to another or to the Church. If you cannot say no, what does your yes mean? Chastity and celibacy are not about perpetual bachelorhood but about being a gift. Those living in consecrated life are single so they can more fully give of themselves. (p. 128)