Chapter II. On Religious Vocation

I say. Certainly Christ willed that in His kingdom there be a state of voluntary poverty, celibacy, and obedience. For the Lord Himself shows the way by which someone may enter into life and by which he may attain perfection. "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matt. xix, 17. He set before these words others: "One is good, God": the observance of the commandments is indicated as necessary in order that someone may become a sharer of the highest good, God. And to the young man asking, "Which?" namely, commandments, the Lord explains them. To the young man answering that he had kept all these from his youth, and asking, "What is yet wanting to me?" Jesus said: "if thou wilt be perfect, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come follow me." Therefore here the Lord sets forth two states in His kingdom, namely one enjoined on all, the other voluntary for them: the observance of the commandments; the voluntary taking up of poverty, celibacy - for he who sells all his things and gives the price to the poor cannot enter marriage - and obedience, "come follow me." Therefore He says to the young man: if thou wilt supply what is lacking to thee and come to perfection, I now show thee the way: "sell, give to the poor," and, lest thou fear, I set before thee the reward, "treasure in heaven, and come follow me." And so He excites the will of the young man by this treasure and by the attainment of perfection arising for him from voluntary poverty, celibacy, and a certain excellent obedience under the yoke of Christ. - Cf. v. 12.

Therefore Christ wills that such a state be in the Church. Now come, all these things strike the hearts of men with wondrous efficacy. - Cf. Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Matthew; Knabenbauer, pp. 154 and seq. Let it be noted that between this doctrine of Christ concerning the more perfect way in His kingdom and the doctrine concerning matrimony and virginity (xix, 1-12), there is commemorated by the Evangelist the most tender love of Our Lord toward little ones: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. These easily lay up the things of God in the heart. Suffer the little ones to come unto me. The time will come when many of them will have to answer for themselves whether they ought to follow Christ by the common way rather than by the more perfect way. At the age of twelve and living the Apostolic life, He gave them a most efficacious example; He will also give grace. For them also a choice must be made between these ways: "Lord, what wilt thou have me do?" The will of God, not our own, is the norm of any Christian. Right intention of divine service is necessary, especially in choosing a state of life. And therefore it is necessary that the one about to choose, according to his powers, free himself from every disordered affection, and will nothing except what is from above. These things being posited, how will the young man know what is the good-pleasing will of God? Our Lord shows His will in this matter to men in various ways. First, indeed, He does this in such a way that no doubt can be present concerning it - which happens in the case of Saint Paul, Saint Matthew, and others in the Church of God. This way is extraordinary and not to be expected by all. Secondly, when the soul is moved by inspirations and motions in such a way that with almost no discourse of the mind the will is borne into the service of God; but in this method too great difficulties can arise. Finally, a third way remains, the ordinary one, safer and more secure from illusions, namely when someone with tranquil mind seriously considers the question, What shall I do? shall I follow the religious state? (a) by weighing the advantages and disadvantages arising to him from it; by taking from the desire of divine service reasons for the state and against it; and by not admitting merely human considerations; by placing himself in indifference of heart; let him ask light from God; then let him see to which side reason inclines him more, and finally let him choose that side. Or, with the same tranquil mind, (b) let him propose to himself a man hitherto unknown, who asks counsel in this matter; by desiring the perfection of this man, he chooses this state for him, and let him judge that the same will be best for himself. Or again, with the same tranquility of soul, (c) let him place himself at the article of death or on the day of judgment, and ask what way he would then wish to have held, and let him now take for himself the one desired; for he will be able sincerely to hold that his vocation is that which that weighing and prayer under (a), or that counsel under (b), or the longed-for way under (c), indicates. Therefore divine vocation seems able to be called the divine good-pleasure morally securely manifested to a man by the light of reason aided by faith; in the man himself it is a complex of right intention, of natural and supernatural gifts, by which he may seem suitable for duly carrying out the duties of the religious state. But the judgment of all these things in this or that case belongs to the Superiors, so that their assent and admission of the candidate is, as it were, the authoritative complement and perfection of religious vocation.

Question 1. Whether, or how, does one sin who, sensing that he is called to Religion, does not obey the divine vocation?

Resp. Of itself and rigorously speaking, he sins in no way; because divine counsels impose no obligation, since precisely in this they differ from precepts. Yet he can scarcely be excused from some fault because of the danger of eternal salvation to which he commits himself. Indeed, he would not be excused from grave sin who was persuaded that this one means of attaining eternal salvation remained for him, that he flee from the dangers of the world. - But truly, are they in a bad state who, morally certain concerning a divine vocation to Religion, strive to persuade themselves that they can attain their salvation just as easily by remaining in the world or by returning to it? It does not seem to be doubted that they expose themselves to great hazard of salvation; because, by remaining in the world against the vocation of God, they deprive themselves of those special helps which the providence of God had prepared for them in Religion, and therefore they will resist the temptations of the world with difficulty. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 78. Others, however, judge more mildly.

Question 2. Do parents or superiors sin gravely who turn away children or subjects from the religious state?

Resp. Affirmatively, and indeed against justice, if they turn them away by threats, force, frauds, etc.; but against charity, if they only employ prayers and persuasions. The reason is that they deprive them of a great good and heap up many damages. Nevertheless parents do not sin who oppose, for a time, the pious desires of younger children in order to test their constancy or because of another just cause. Yet in this matter, to avoid delusions, they must stand by the counsels of a confessor or of an upright and learned man. - Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 77.

Question 3. What are the signs of a religious vocation?

Resp. Generally speaking, or according to ordinary providence, two things are required and suffice for proving a divine vocation, namely due aptitude and inclination of will.

1st. Aptitude is understood as suitability for the religious state in general, and in particular for the observance proper to such an Order. It consists especially in right judgment, in a good disposition, in a soul submitted to the yoke of obedience, in relatively sufficient knowledge, and in the lack of defects of body and soul which are repugnant to the reason of this life.

2nd. A constant and right inclination, which therefore is not subject to frequent changes, notwithstanding, otherwise, some past shifting about arising from temptations of the devil or from a certain repugnance of nature. Yet it is not required that the inclination proceed from spontaneity or propensity rather than from an intimate persuasion of the soul. Furthermore, that inclination must be right, that is, proceed from a pure intention, from the mere desire of attaining salvation more easily, of procuring the greater glory of God, or also the salvation of souls, etc.

I said generally speaking or in ordinary providence, because more evident signs of vocation are present, namely: 1st, divine revelation, as St. Aloysius Gonzaga and St. Stanislaus Kostka, etc., were called; 2nd, singular inspiration, which consists in an interior motion by which someone is vehemently driven and as it were drawn to a more perfect life.