Q. Why is retirement, or seclusion from the world, necessary in order to preserve the grace of a religious vocation?
A. Because an apparently trifling circ.u.mstance often causes the loss of such a vocation. A day of amus.e.m.e.nt, a discouraging word, even from a friend, an unmortified pa.s.sion, or a conversation, especially with a person of the opposite s.e.x, often suffices to bring to naught the best resolution of giving one"s self entirely to G.o.d.
Q. Why should a vocation to the religious state be followed promptly?
A. St. John Chrysostom, as quoted by St. Thomas, says: "When G.o.d gives such vocations, He wills that we should not defer even for a moment to follow them; for when the devil cannot bring a person to give up his resolution of consecrating himself to G.o.d, he at least seeks to make him defer the execution of it, and he esteems it a great gain if he can obtain the delay of one day, or even of one hour."
"Because," continues St. Liguori, "after that day, or that hour, other occasions presenting themselves, it will be less difficult for the devil to obtain greater delay, until the person, finding himself more feeble and less a.s.sisted by grace, gives way altogether, and loses his vocation."
St. Jerome gives this advice to those who are called to quit the world: "Make haste. I beseech you, and rather cut than loosen the rope by which your bark is bound fast to the land;" that is, break at once all ties that bind you to the world.
Q. What other reason may be given why a religious vocation should be followed promptly?
A. Like other graces, the grace of a religious vocation is transient; it may be offered to-day, and if not accepted, it may be withdrawn to-morrow: "To-day if you shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts."
"Exhort one another every day, whilst it is called to-day, that none of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."
CHAPTER XII.
CHILDREN AND THE RELIGIOUS STATE.
Q. At what age may children enter the religious state?
A. The Council of Trent teaches that young persons are permitted to take their vows in the religious state at the age of sixteen, after making at least one year"s novitiate.
The mind and the spirit of the Church show that youth is the best time to make this agreeable sacrifice to G.o.d; and even the Holy Ghost Himself testifies to the same: "It is good for a man when he hath borne the yoke from his youth."
Q. Do not a larger percentage persevere when subjects enter the religious state late in life?
A. No; the superiors of several of the largest and best organized communities testify that a larger percentage persevere of those who enter young.
The young are more easily formed to religious discipline. When persons are twenty years of age, or older, their minds and characters are less pliable; it is harder to unbend and remould them: "A young man, according to his way, even when he is old, lie will not depart from it."
Q. Is it, then, a mistaken principle to try the vocations of young persons by permitting them to acquire experience in the ways of the world before entering the religious state?
A. Yes; because "he that loveth danger shall perish in it." As reasonably might you place enticing liquors before a man struggling against intemperance.
When these youth are left to the mercy of so many enticing and dangerous influences, with their pa.s.sions growing within them, and an enchanting world smiling upon them; when others around them are "marrying and giving in marriage;" when all are speaking of the world and thinking of the world, they will naturally be influenced by the moral atmosphere in which they live.
Facts confirm this doctrine; for if, through their own fault, or through the fault of their parents, those having vocations to the religious state remain in the outer world until the end of their "teens" a large percentage of them lose their vocations and stay in the world.
Persons having thus lost their vocations usually live worse lives than other Christians, on account of the abuse of grace.
Q. What is to be done when subjects cannot enter religion at an early age?
A. In given instances, when children are unable to pursue a religious vocation at an early age, the greatest precaution should be taken, both by themselves and by their parents and confessors, to keep alive those higher and holier inspirations which the Holy Ghost diffuses more liberally at the age of First Communion, and for about two or three years afterwards.
Q. Does not the Holy Ghost diffuse such special graces with equal liberality later in life?
A. If such special graces have not already been abused, the Holy Ghost may offer them at any time; but later in life this divine seed does not usually find such well-prepared soil in the heart. The early lessons of faith and piety, and of the fear and love of G.o.d, easily become effaced by contact with the world.
Religious vocations often share the fate of the seed that fell by the wayside and the seed that fell among thorns: "And the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the l.u.s.ts after other things entering in, choke the word, and it is made fruitless."
Q. Does Our Lord manifest any special preference for the young?
A. Yes; He makes the conduct of children the standard for all who would be saved: "Unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Again Our Lord says: "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of G.o.d."
Q. What practical conclusion may drawn from these words of Our Lord?
A. Commenting on these words of the Gospel, St. John Chrysostom says: "If children are driven from Christ, who will deserve to go near Him?
Now it is evident that we get near Jesus Christ mainly by the practice of the counsels. Children, therefore, should not be kept from Christ by hindering them from practising these counsels."
Q. What is the doctrine of St. Thomas with regard to religious vocations in the young?
A. On this matter St. Thomas says: "This teaching is clearly the outcome of what occurs every day among men. For do we not see children put early to those avocations, arts, or trades which they are to follow in after life? Candidates for the sanctuary begin in youth to acquire the knowledge which will help them later; those destined for a military career are trained to arms from their early years; and the future tradesman is apprenticed when only a boy. Why, then, should a rule so well observed in other spheres be neglected in the case of a religious life? I say even more: when a state of life is attended with many difficulties, the greater is the need to habituate one"s self from youth to overcome them. Hence we read in Jeremias: "It is good for a man when he hath borne the yoke from his youth.""
Q. Are children obliged to obey their parents in the choice of a state of life?
A. St. Liguori says: "It is certain that in the choice of a state of life children are not bound to obey their parents; thus St. Thomas and the other Doctors teach unanimously." Both parents and children should remember the reply of the apostles to the unjust rulers who had forbidden them to preach Christ crucified: "We ought to obey G.o.d rather than men."
_Example._
When St. Bernard and his brothers were bidding a final adieu to their home and their father, they saw their youngest brother at play with other children in the castle yard. The oldest brother embraced him, saying: "My little brother Nivard, do you see this castle and these lands? Well, all these will be yours--yours alone." "What!" replied the child with more than a child"s thoughtfulness, "are you going to take heaven for yourselves and leave earth for me? The division is unequal." From that moment little Nivard could not be restrained either by his father, his relatives, or any human influence. He joined St. Bernard, who, with his brothers and companions to the number of thirty, set out for the monastery of Citeaux.
CHAPTER XIII.
DUTY OF PARENTS REGARDING THE RELIGIOUS VOCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN.
Q. Are not some parents unjust towards children that wish to enter the religious state?
A. Yes; unfortunately some parents are both unjust and unreasonable with their children in this matter.