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Woodchuck

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Hello. I am a 29 year old man working at as a mechanic. I am thinking about becoming a Priest. Ive known for 12 years now that that’s what God wants me to do, but for the last 12 years Ive told him “no” because I was unwilling to give up the chance to have a wife and child. I have reached a point in life where I finally get that what matters is what He wants. I am just looking for some advice and/or help getting the courage to do what He asks of me.
 
Congratulations!:D:D

Priesthood and religious life are the best life there is.

Now you just need to find a spiritual director to bounce these ideas off and start looking at where God is calling you to serve him if it is as a priest.
 
You will be happy following His will for you although the evil one will try and convince you otherwise. You as a Father WILL have many children! My prayers for you,
Z
 
Woodchuck said:
Hello. I am a 29 year old man working at as a mechanic. I am thinking about becoming a Priest. Ive known for 12 years now that that’s what God wants me to do, but for the last 12 years Ive told him “no” because I was unwilling to give up the chance to have a wife and child. I have reached a point in life where I finally get that what matters is what He wants. I am just looking for some advice and/or help getting the courage to do what He asks of me.
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I think your first and best step would be to go before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament at adoration and ask Him to reveal your true vocation to you. It might be different from what you desire. This will take some time and will also involve some soul-searching. Next, I would contact your parish and/or diocese and speak with their vocations director. Attend a retreat at a seminary. There are many ways to begin, but you must first love our Lord with all of your heart and seek to please Him above all else. You will be in my prayers.
 
With the exception of those born celibate:

We were designed by God to be married and have sex. This is clear in Genesis and throughout all of the Bible.

Please do not bring up Matthew 19:10 in argument, that would be like me bringing up 1 Corinthians 14:34 to say the Bible is sexist. …Even though the sexist argument is better than the anti-marriage one since the whole entire Bible is so incredibly and explicitly pro-marriage, and you have to dig a little deeper than common Biblical knowledge to understand just how anti-sexism the Bible is.

It seems very obvious to me that we were designed to have sex and be married. Aside from simple biology, our whole entire world is evidence of this.

Whoever thought it was holy to reject God’s design and live by their own vain perception of righteousness?
 
po18guy said:
There are many ways to begin, but you must first love our Lord with all of your heart and seek to please Him above all else. You will be in my prayers.
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Exactly! And I am convinced it pleases God for us to be married and have sex.

Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
 
salamander28 said:
With the exception of those born celibate:

We were designed by God to be married and have sex. This is clear in Genesis and throughout all of the Bible.

Please do not bring up Matthew 19:10 in argument, that would be like me bringing up 1 Corinthians 14:34 to say the Bible is sexist. …Even though the sexist argument is better than the anti-marriage one since the whole entire Bible is so incredibly and explicitly pro-marriage, and you have to dig a little deeper than common Biblical knowledge to understand just how anti-sexism the Bible is.

It seems very obvious to me that we were designed to have sex and be married. Aside from simple biology, our whole entire world is evidence of this.

Whoever thought it was holy to reject God’s design and live by their own vain perception of righteousness?
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Are you answering the right thread?
 
salamander28 said:
Exactly! And I am convinced it pleases God for us to be married and have sex.

Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
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Our Lord also said:

Matthew 19:10-12
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
His disciples say unto him: If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry. Who said to them: All men take not this word, but they to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mother’s womb: and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take, let him take it.

And, Saint Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 7:1
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
7 Now concerning the thing whereof you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

1 Corinthians 7:8
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
But I say to the unmarried, and to the widows: It is good for them if they so continue, even as I.

1 Corinthians 7:24-26
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
Brethren, let every man, wherein he was called, therein abide with God. Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give counsel, as having obtained mercy of the Lord, to be faithful. I think therefore that this is good for the present necessity, that it is good for a man so to be.

1 Corinthians 7:32-35
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife, is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God. But he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the things of the world, how he may please his wife: and he is divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinketh on the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she that is married thinketh on the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I speak for your profit: not to cast a snare upon you; but for that which is decent, and which may give you power to attend upon the Lord, without impediment.

Scripture is also clear that some are called, not to be married, but to serve the Lord alone. Our Lord was alone, and Priests sit in persona Christi, and so their discipline is to remain celibate. This is consistent with Matthew 16:24 and Luke 9:23 in which we are to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, then follow Jesus. For some, that cross is the single life.
 
salamander28 said:
With the exception of those born celibate:

We were designed by God to be married and have sex. This is clear in Genesis and throughout all of the Bible.

Please do not bring up Matthew 19:10 in argument, that would be like me bringing up 1 Corinthians 14:34 to say the Bible is sexist. …Even though the sexist argument is better than the anti-marriage one since the whole entire Bible is so incredibly and explicitly pro-marriage, and you have to dig a little deeper than common Biblical knowledge to understand just how anti-sexism the Bible is.

It seems very obvious to me that we were designed to have sex and be married. Aside from simple biology, our whole entire world is evidence of this.

Whoever thought it was holy to reject God’s design and live by their own vain perception of righteousness?
Click to expand...
Wow. That’s a rather narrow-minded view of the situation. You cannot decide what someone’s calling is or is not. If the OP feels that God is calling him to the priesthood (as MANY men have done), he is in need of our prayers and support, not your interpretation of what his life should be. I promise you, my intention is not to offend, but if he is trusting in God to lead him into the priesthood because he feels that’s where he needs to be, then that’s where he needs to be!

Now, to the OP – I am praying for you in this journey! 👍
 
Woodchuck,

Is it possible for you to make time in your schedule to visit Adoration- either Eucharistic exposition, if available in your area, or just to stop in church and pray with Jesus in the Tabernacle, every week for a month or two, and see if that helps clarify what He is asking of you?

You can also speak to a priest about this; you do NOT have to be sure! They are used to people feeling things out, and can help you discern what it is you are called to.
 
Wow. That’s a rather narrow-minded view of the situation. You cannot decide what someone’s calling is or is not.
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haha I was not trying to tell him what his calling is! My whole entire point is that sex is not a calling, it is just the way we were designed! Sex does not have to do with callings or what not, it is just part of being the majority of humans, aside from those born celibate.
We’re all born celibate.
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I am not saying there are not people who are, but I really do not think that is true.
Scripture is also clear that some are called, not to be married, but to serve the Lord alone. Our Lord was alone, and Priests sit in persona Christi, and so their discipline is to remain celibate. This is consistent with Matthew 16:24 and Luke 9:23 in which we are to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, then follow Jesus. For some, that cross is the single life.
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Thank you for your well thought out answer! I have always wondered why priests do not have sex but that actually clears it up a lot. And I totally totally think that some are called to live a celibate life! I was just responding to Woodchuck, and since he said that he was wanting to have a family and be married and what not, I am just saying that I think the desire to have a family and create and be one with a woman is not something ‘evil’ as lots of people/society/religion paint it, but rather something beautiful which God has created and has given to us, through the covenant of marriage.

God is (of course) not sexual. But, we are obviously not God/Jesus, and it is important for us to strive to be as Jesus in every way, but it is also important for us to realize how Jesus/God designed us and to live within that design. I just really look to Genesis for insight on that. But thank you for the intelligent and thorough response with Biblical citations!
 
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