Celibacy

Chaste Celibacy:

Jesus proposed voluntary renunciation of marriage as a privileged way of serving the Kingdom of Heaven for those to whom this gift is granted. Those who can accept this gift should not refuse it: “Not all can accept this word (about celibacy), but only those to whom it is granted…Some have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it” (Mt 19.11f). Our divine Lord promised a hundred-fold in this life and life everlasting in the next for those who give up home, wife, and children for His sake (Mt 19.29).

Saint Paul recommended the unmarried state to those who are able to embrace it to dedicate themselves wholly to the service of God. This state frees the person from manifold anxieties and concerns so that he may be able to concentrate all his attention on what is pleasing to the Lord.

“To those not married and to widows I have this to say, it would be well if they remain as they are, even as I do, but if they cannot exercise self-control they should marry, for it is better to marry than to be on fire…If you marry, you do not sin, nor does an unmarried woman sin if she marries; but such people will experience affliction in their earthly life, and I would like to spare you that…I should like to free you from anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit. A married woman, on the other hand, is anxious about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. (1 Cor 7.8-33)

In his Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio (1981) Pope John Paul II states that the Church has always defended the superiority of virginity or celibacy to marriage because of the special link this charism has with the Kingdom of God:

Virginity or celibacy, by liberating the human heart in a unique way, “so as to make it burn with greater love for God and all mankind, bears witness that the Kingdom of God and His justice is that pearl of great price which is preferred to every other value no matter how great, and hence must be sought as the only definitive value. It is for this reason that the Church throughout her history has always defended the superiority of this charism to that of marriage, by reason of the wholly singular link which it has with the Kingdom of God.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

Charity Continued

"Whoever loves me will keep my commandments. And this is my commandment: that you love one another." If a man truly loves God, he must love his neighbor as well. We must strive to serve one another out of love for Christ. Our love for God manifests itself in the ways we find to do good for others. Hence, love is the fulfillment of the law. Faith alone cannot save us.

In Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching

The Integrity of our Lives

From a homily written in the second century:

Let us be sure that when the day of judgment comes, our place will be among those who give thanks to God and have served Him, and not with the ungodly who face condemnation. As for myslef, I am only a sinner, not yet beyond the reach of temptation; but even amidst all the devil's machinations, I still strive to make progress and hope to attain at least some virtue, for I fear the judgment that awaits me.

...The reward I ask is that you repent with your whole heart, to save yourselves and find life. If we do this, we shall set an example for all young people, for whom the glory and goodness of God is a challenge to be generous in His service.

Let me say also that when we are given a warning and corrected for doing something wrong, we should not be so foolish as to take offense and be angry. There are times when we are unconscious of the sins we commit because our hearts are fickle, lacking faith. Futile desires cloud our minds. We need to pull ourselves up, therefore, because our very salvation is at stake.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching