Caput XXII. Ut virginitatis propositum religiose custodiendum.
Guarding the Treasure of Virginity
The virgin is urged to guard the precious and irrecoverable treasure of virginity with the greatest diligence and deepest fear.
Let this virgin, continually reflecting on the most precious treasure of virginity — possessed so usefully, lost so irrecoverably — guard it with the greatest diligence and deepest fear.
Following the Lamb with Mary's Song
The virgin is called to contemplate her bridal union with Christ, to follow the Lamb, and to join Mary's virginal praise as foretold in Revelation.
Let her consider without ceasing the One to whose bridal chamber she is destined, the One for whose embrace she is being prepared. Let her set before herself the Lamb she must follow wherever he goes.✦ Let her contemplate most blessed Mary, going before the choirs of virgins and leading the song, playing on the tambourine of virginity that sweet hymn which no one can sing unless they are virgins of both sexes.✦ Of these it is written: 'These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women; for they are virgins' (Apoc.✦ 14, 4).✦
The Wider Meaning of Defilement
Defilement is not limited to physical acts with the opposite sex; even same-sex acts and interior corruption without any physical contact can destroy virginity and chastity.
And don't take this to mean that a man without a woman, or a woman without a man, cannot be defiled. Since that detestable crime — by which a man against a man, or a woman against a woman, is judged more damnably wicked than all other disgraces — But even without intercourse with another's flesh, virginity is commonly corrupted and chastity is violated.
Resisting Violent Temptation
When fierce bodily temptation assails her, the virgin must remember her consecration to God and refuse to surrender what belongs to Christ to Satan.
If a more violent burning of the flesh assails her and shakes her will into submitting to it, and carries off her limbs, let the virgin consider above all that she is sanctified to God, incorrupt to Christ, and dedicated to the Holy Spirit. Let her judge it unworthy to hand over what belongs to Christ to Satan, and let her blush that her virgin limbs should be stained even by a single motion.
Read the original Latin
Haec virgo jugiter cogitans pretiosissimum virginitatis thesaurum, qui tam utiliter possidetur, tam irrecuperabiliter amittitur, summa diligentia, summo cum timore custodiat. Cogitet sine intermissione ad cujus ordinatur thalamum, ad cujus praeparatur amplexum: proponat sibi agnum quem sequi habet, quocumque ierit. Contempletur beatissimam Mariam praecedentem choros virginum, et praecinentem dulce illud cum virginitatis tympano canticum, quod nemo potest canere nisi utriusque sexus virgines. De quibus scriptum est: Hi sunt qui cum mulieribus non sunt coinquinati; virgines enim sunt (Apoc. XIV, 4). Nec sic hoc dictum aestimes, quasi non vir sine muliere, aut mulier sine viro possit foedari. Cum detestandum illud scelus, quo vir in virum, vel femina in feminam, omnibus flagitiis damnabilius judicetur. Sed et absque alienae carnis consortio virginitas plerumque corrumpitur, castitas violatur.
Si vehementior aestus carnem concutiens voluntatem sibi subdiderit, et rapuerit membra, cogitet virgo super omnia sua sanctificata Deo, incorrupta Christo, Spiritui sancto dedicata. Indignum judicet quod Christi est, tradere satanae, et virginea ejus membra erubescat vel simplici motu maculari.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Rev.14.4 — These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
- ↩Exod.15.20 — Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took the tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing.
- ↩Rev.14.4 — These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
- ↩Rev.14.4 — These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
De institutione inclusarum (A Rule of Life for a Recluse) companion
A rule only lives if you keep it daily
Chosen Portion gives your new rule its anchor: one free devotional portion every day.
Aelred built his sister's day around fixed times of prayer and meditation; Chosen Portion supplies the fixed daily portion that makes a modern rule of life keepable.
- Anchor your rule with a fixed 10-minute daily portion
- Practice Aelred's threefold meditation with guided daily prompts
- Review and adjust your one-page rule after 30 days of tracked practice