In the area of chastity, the Crosier bases his commitment on intimate friendship with Christ (Profile of the Congolese Crosier).
Without a personal and profound love of Christ, I, as a religious consecrated to chastity. would not know the joy of celibacy or be able to support its burden very well. I can contemplate this Christ in the image of the young lover of the Song of Songs (2:8-16). This lively text reveals the passion of God for his beloved. The young lover shouts his desired from afar—in my individuality I am seen and loved by Christ. Like a gazelle, the young man bounds toward his love with passionate energy—I am chosen and cherished by Christ. The young man stops before the wall, peering in through the window—Christ verifies whether the space of my heart is reserved to him alone. The young lover speaks and invites his beloved to come close for an embrace of springtime (the warmth of affection, the rebirth of joy, the song of love, the fulfillment of life, the perfume of intimacy)—I am promised the fullness of love. Impatient to see the beauty and to hear the voice of the beloved, the young man complains about his dove's hesitation who remains hidden in the cleft of the rock—Christ helps me to make contact him with confidence that I am good and worthy. In a mutual embrace, the young man and his love overcome the menacing foxes—Christ and I surmount together the threats against our life-giving intimacy.
It is never night where people love one another. (Burundi)
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