Chastity is a virtue concerning purity of heart, body, soul, and mind. It is the guard against impure thoughts, defilements, and images of the mind.
What is this little virtue, buried beneath faith and hope, and far beneath love? Is it not higher than the clouds, more pure than water, more fresh than an ocean breeze?
It is not a theological virtue as the other three, but it is in some sense greater than all. It is the clarity in the midst of impurities, the vision of God amidst turmoil, the flight of an eagle over the greatest turbulence of the ocean waves, the soaring of wings over desert lands, the flight to heaven, an incarnate descent into hell though untouched. It is the way of true peace, that comes from freedom from the challenges of the flesh. It is the effortless grace of God.
Why exult this virtue above the rest? Faith, hope, love? Why not speak of love, of charity, of its beauty?
Charity teacheth itself, though this virtue is acquired through fire and flames.
Our world surrounded, imbued, and permeated by lusts, our minds, eyes, hearts, imaginations, are ever captive to the grip of these mortal, deadly sins.
If we would have this one virtue, no other would be truly necessary to attempt to aqcuire, for the advancement in virtue, its effortful task, would be the most pleasant of all activities, not a grueling task, nor a task at all, but a joyful journey, a sailing ship with winds behind and before pushing onward, a restful breath, an ascent to heaven, an inspired reach, a holy longing, a pleasure of pleasures, a life of peace.
This virtue is levity, it is heaven on earth. It is the battle of God against my enemies, it is the force of the Divine Nature for me and with me in all things. It is the blessing of blessings, an ease of being, a lightness that is as though one opened a door and walked through, beholding a new room full of crystals and music, fragrances untold, or rather a new horizon, the sun beyond but very near, touching the heart with a closeness that only chastity can bring in visceral sensitivity.
There is a clarity and easeful comfort to chastity that is as resting upon clouds, an embrace of the body from all sides. It is the dew of the Spirit that is accessible to all, not through prayer in caves, but through a conscience trained in the cave of the heart, avoiding and fighting the thoughts of impurity like knight fights evil raiders of innocent maidens on the road to Jerusalem, my heart seeking the holy land within my soul.
Chastity makes a moment into a thousand years, for within each moment we find peace, we find the light of God's being, we find eternity.