Religious Vocation Better Than Marriage?

[j_calvin]

[quote name='Norseman82' date='Jun 29 2004, 11:22 AM'] Celibacy might be a higher calling than marriage......




But not everyone can handle the higher calling!

Even Christ said that not everyone can handle celibacy. See Matthew 19:10-12. [/quote]
Since marriage and holy orders are sacraments one is not greater than the other.

[Chrysologus]

Celibacy is indeed a "higher calling" than married life, as the Bible and Christian tradition make very clear. Yet I must confess that I don't know what the phrase "higher calling" really means. Perhaps someone could explain it to me. But celibacy is not, strictly speaking, part of holy orders, so I would say the sacraments of matrimony and holy orders are equally good and necessary for the Church and the world. Celibacy is a part of the monastic life by definition, but the monastic life is also not a sacrament, so it's hard to say that the religious life is better than married life. I suppose that, all things considered, the celibate priest enjoys the highest vocation/calling/lifestyle.

[qfnol31]

[quote name='j_calvin' date='Jun 29 2004, 07:56 PM'] Since marriage and holy orders are sacraments one is not greater than the other. [/quote]
Read the Council of Trent (I'm pretty sure).

[Chrysologus]

[quote]Read the Council of Trent (I'm pretty sure).[/quote]
I'm afraid you'll have to be a little more specific than that. That Council had a lot to say about a lot of things.

[qfnol31]

As I stated earlier, they infallibly declared the Vocation of celebacy [i]objectively [/i] better than marriage.

Edited June 30, 2004 by qfnol31

[Chrysologus]

Isn't that what I said?

[qfnol31]

LoL, I was responding to j_calvin.

[littleflower+JMJ]

defender?!

[Chrysologus]

Yes?

[littleflower+JMJ]

nothing......that was when i was wondering if you were the same person thats all

[qfnol31]

[quote name='Chrysologus' date='Jun 29 2004, 10:32 PM'] Celibacy is indeed a "higher calling" than married life, as the Bible and Christian tradition make very clear. Yet I must confess that I don't know what the phrase "higher calling" really means. Perhaps someone could explain it to me. But celibacy is not, strictly speaking, part of holy orders, so I would say the sacraments of matrimony and holy orders are equally good and necessary for the Church and the world. Celibacy is a part of the monastic life by definition, but the monastic life is also not a sacrament, so it's hard to say that the religious life is better than married life. I suppose that, all things considered, the celibate priest enjoys the highest vocation/calling/lifestyle. [/quote]
By higher calling, it means that the person has the possibility to receive more rewards in Heaven. It is better because the person is in a direct relationship with God and seeks Heaven directly through Him. A Vocation to marriage seeks Heaven through the spouse. Holy Orders is mostly a higher calling because it is often directly related to celebacy.

A Vocation found in a monastic order would actually be a Vocation. It's that to celebacy in a single life. Holy Orders is just one of the three options open to people (Marriage, Single, Holy Orders). Because it goes with the Vocation of celebacy, it is greater.

Of course all of this must be looked at objectively. Not everyone is called to the priesthood (especially girls. ). J/K, but it's true. Some people are called to Marriage, otherwise we wouldn't be around. Like I said somewhere else, your mom isn't a virgin. However, Don Bosco did say that he felt that 1/3 of all people are called to a Vocation other than Marriage.

Anyways, with all of this, you must realize that with greater rewards, there are greater costs. As PSPX said earlier, a priest is more accountable for what he says and does than any one else (besides Bishops and the Pope). If they live a holy life, Heaven can be more for them than others, but if they live a poor life, they stand a greater chance of going to Hell than others.