Yesterdays Catholic Carnival brought Mary O'Hayes' post on modesty. It reminded me of a quote from St. Francis de Sales. Back in June Curt at North Western Winds posted this quote from St. Francis on the Fashion and Quality of Clothes. It places the virtue in modesty in the context of a positive view of sexuality. This is all too rare. As Christopher Pramuk has noted most celibate spiritual writers "elevate" the physical sense of the Song of Songs to a spiritual sense. This only makes the fight for modesty more difficult.
One wonders if a church dominated by a celibate, clerical culture can ever get it right.
Miguel,
I'm sorry if I was to brief. I affirm the value of celibacy. I do, however, question the conclusion of some celibates about the meaning of sexuality. This is a topic that should be discussed by married men and women. This is one of the reasons that I provided a linked to Pramuk's book. Here is my favorite example of what happens when a celibate culture quotes scripture.
The Liturgy of the Hours for Friday of the twenty-fourth week in ordinary time quotes http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/ezekiel/ezekiel16.htm>Ezekiel 16. Quoted in full, this passage provides vivid, even graphic, sexual imagery to demonstrate God's love for Jerusalem. The text, as published in the liturgy of the hours, however, omits the second half of verse 7.
Presumably the celibate male editors saw fit to protect their readers from this inspired text because it was overly explicit.
BTW, please check your scripture references. I don't see the relevance of Mat. 10:12 and cant find ap. 14:4
Posted by: Herb Ely | December 08, 2005 at 10:27 AM
Sorry darling, but it seems that the one who doesn't get it is you. Look at the basic importance of celibate: Mat. 10:12; I Cor. 7:32-40; Ap. 14:4. God bless you :)
Posted by: Miguel | December 08, 2005 at 04:28 AM