The Dragon of Prostitution

Divine Appeal Reflection - 266

Today, consider in Divine Appeal 266: "The exuberance of prostitution together with divorce, drugs, free extermination of the poor and the innocent babies in the sewers, crimes of all kinds."

The evil of prostitution in our age is no longer confined to the brothel or the street corner. It has become a subtle network of seduction woven into society’s fabric, preying especially on the young and vulnerable. Girls are lured with promises of a better life, “sponsorships,” or even false notions of empowerment, only to be trapped in cycles of exploitation and self-loathing. Young men too, desperate for validation or provision, are lured into transactional relationships. Even those who say, “I also have sexual feelings,” justify degradation as liberation, while in truth they enslave themselves to the very sin they claim to master. Prostitution at its root is not about pleasure; it is the selling of one’s body and soul for something less than God’s promise. The dragon whispers that survival requires compromise, but Christ shows that life flows from faithfulness, not betrayal. Those enslaved are not beyond redemption: the tears of the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet (cf. Lk 7:37–38) are proof that brokenness can become adoration. Let fasting be our reparation, the Rosary our weapon, and Eucharistic adoration our restoration. For only Christ can turn what was sold into what is sanctified, making even the most wounded soul radiant in His mercy.

One of the most hidden yet destructive forms of prostitution lies in professional spaces. Many, desperate for work, promotions, or business opportunities, are pressured into selling their bodies as an unspoken “requirement” for advancement. What is called networking becomes seduction; what is offered as mentorship often masks exploitation. Here, prostitution is not only physical—it is spiritual, as ambition is prostituted for gain and dignity is sacrificed for desperation. Yet Our Adorable Jesus is not the God of desperation. He is the Lord of Providence, who feeds the sparrows (cf. Mt 6:26) and clothes the lilies without demanding their corruption. To those tempted to believe that survival requires selling themselves, Christ speaks firmly: “You are not merchandise; you are My temple.” The evil is not only in the act itself, but in the lie that God cannot provide, that the Cross cannot sustain, and that hope must be bought with sin. The Church must rise as a sanctuary for such souls, teaching that true security is found not in compromise but in surrender to Divine Providence. We must form Catholics who would rather suffer want with Christ than prosper in chains.

The dragon of prostitution hides also in festivity—parties, family gatherings, social and corporate events—where drinking, music, and fashion conspire to normalize impurity. Young women are pressured to expose more of themselves, while men are urged to pursue conquest as if it were achievement. Predators exploit vulnerability, turning joy into a marketplace. Even cultural and family events, which should honor unity, often fall into drunkenness and lust. When the human body is commodified, community itself is corrupted, and family becomes a stage for the very evil it should protect against. Yet Christ invites His people to reclaim festivity. At the Cana wedding feast, the sanctifying Presence of God—rather than lust—was the desecrating principle (cf. Jn 2:1–11). Celebrations are genuinely conceivable, so there may be dancing for happiness, music to uplift the soul, fruitful discussions, and moderation that honours God. We could sanctify the celebration by prioritising prayer, permitting confession and fasting to purify the feast, and upholding the dignity of every individual rather than attributing the problem to it. In order to demonstrate that joy without corruption is not only conceivable but also radiant, holiness must infiltrate the areas where evil currently rules.

To every soul trapped in prostitution—whether in hidden alleys, in desperate business exchanges, or in the silent compromises of social events—Christ speaks not with condemnation but with tears of love. The woman caught in adultery (cf. Jn 8:3–11) heard Him say, “Neither do I condemn you,” and Mary Magdalene, once enslaved, became His first witness after the Resurrection (cf. Mk 16:9). To the modern soul who thinks, “I have no choice,” Our Adorable Jesus says: “I am your choice. I am your Bread, your Providence, your shelter.” He is not for desperation, but for redemption. He does not demand that you sell yourself for survival; He promises that those who seek first His Kingdom will not be abandoned (cf. Mt 6:33). The Church, then, must not act as accuser but as refuge: building safe houses, offering confession as healing, and surrounding the broken with communities of mercy. Fasting by the faithful becomes intercession for those enslaved, while Eucharistic adoration purifies even the darkest shame. Christ alone has the power to rewrite the story of the enslaved, turning tears of despair into tears of worship, and chains into crowns.

The world will not cease to glamorize prostitution in all its forms—street trade, sponsorships, transactional jobs, seductive gatherings—because the dragon delights in a culture that sells what God has sanctified. Yet Christ calls forth a remnant: those who will resist even unto ridicule, who will fast as reparation, who will pray the Rosary as battle, and who will adore the Eucharist as their source of strength. These are the souls who will not bow to desperation, for their hope is anchored in Providence. They will teach by witness that it is better to lose a job than to lose the soul, better to live in poverty with Christ than in luxury with chains. Mary, who crushed the serpent’s head (cf. Gen 3:15), intercedes for such courage. St. Michael defends such fidelity. The dragon will rage, but saints are not bought—they are already purchased by the Blood of the Lamb. In this late hour, the world trembles at the edge of the abyss, but a purified Church will shine brighter than ever. Our wounds, offered to Christ, will become torches guiding enslaved souls home.

Prayer

Adorable Jesus, Lover of purity and Savior of the lost, look with mercy upon all enslaved in prostitution of body and soul. Rescue the young, heal the broken, and strengthen us to offer fasting as reparation. Through Your Precious Blood, may holiness triumph where darkness once reigned. Amen.

Sr. Anna Ali of the Most Holy Eucharist, intercede for us.