ACC ~ Matthew 19 v12

THE GRACE TO LIVE A CHASTE LIFE

JEROME: There are three kinds of eunuchs, two carnal and the third spiritual. One group are those who are born this way. Another are those who are made into eunuchs by captivity or for pleasuring older women. The third are those who “have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven” and who become eunuchs for Christ though they could be whole men. The last group are promised the reward. The other two, for whom chastity is not a matter of willing but necessity, are due nothing at all. We can put it another way. There are eunuchs from birth who are of a rather frigid nature and not inclined to lust. There are others who are made eunuchs by men, those who are made so by philosophers, others who are made weak toward sex from their worship of idols, and still others who by heretical persuasion feign chastity so as to falsely claim the truth of religion. None of the above is receptive to the kingdom of heaven. Only the person who for Christ seeks chastity wholeheartedly and cuts off sexual impurity altogether [is the genuine eunuch]. So he adds, “He who is able to receive this, let him receive it,” so that each of us should look to his own strength as to whether he can carry out the commands of virginity and chastity. Chastity in itself is agreeable and alluring; but one must look to one’s strength so that “he who is able to receive this may receive it.” It is as if the Lord with his words were urging on his soldiers to the reward of chastity with these words: He who is able to receive this let him receive it; he who is able to fight, let him fight and conquer. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 3.19.12. [1]

[1] CCL 77:168-69.

WILLING AND ACTING CHASTELY

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: As if someone should say, “What are you saying, Lord? If for whatever reason a man happened not to have a wife, will he receive the reward of chastity?” Not always. For just as without will an action cannot cause sin, so justice is not achieved merely by the action unless there is the will. For many try to be chaste in body but commit adultery in their will. If fornication were not committed through the will alone, the Lord never would have said, “Everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” [1] Therefore the will frequently sins without action. The continence that brings glory is not the continence that a weakness in our bodies compels us to keep; rather it is the one which we embrace with the will of our holy intention. Therefore he says, “There are eunuchs who have been so from birth; there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men.” These are kept chaste by necessity, but the third group, those “who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven,” are crowned by their willing it. HOMILY 32. [2]

[1] Mt 5:28.

[2] PG 56:803-4.