Is it better for us to take spouses, or the remain celibate in our lives?

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thephilosopher6

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Marriage is a beautiful thing, but perhaps is celibacy a better thing in life in the grand scheme of things? After all, we’ll be celibate in the resurrection. St. Paul tells us that sexual relations between a man and woman in marriage is holy and natural, yet he also says,
“It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.” - 1 Corinthians 7:1-2
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as well as,
“But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” - 1 Corinthians 7:8-9
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and finally,
“Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.” - 1 Corinthians 7:27-28
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Is seems that, according to St. Paul, we should remain as we are, that is, as celibate. But, if we cannot hold back the desires of the flesh, then we should marry, yet we should not divorce (in accordance with Jesus’s teachings as well.)

Should we, as Christians, strive to be celibate just as our Lord himself was?
 
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Of course not, marriage is a sacrament, but is celibacy superior?
 
No vocation is superior to another. Without our religious the world would be lacking in a lot of prayer and charitable work, not to mention we’d have a hard time without priests to say Mass for us. And without the married folks, there wouldn’t be much need for priests and monks and nuns. It’s a good system that needs both cylinders to fire efficiently.
 
thephilosopher6 said:
Marriage is a beautiful thing, but perhaps is celibacy a better thing in life in the grand scheme of things? After all, we’ll be celibate in the resurrection. St. Paul tells us that sexual relations between a man and woman in marriage is holy and natural, yet he also says,
“It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.” - 1 Corinthians 7:1-2
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Always chaste, St. Paul said “I would that all men were even as myself” i.e., unmarried.

1 Corinthians 7
6 But I speak this by indulgence, not by commandment. 7 For I would that all men were even as myself: but every one hath his proper gift from God; one after this manner, and another after that.
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There are many saints who were married. Even couples of saints married. And many saints who weren’t. Both sides are in Heaven. Is there anything superior to Heaven for us (especially since we are not even there or sure we’re going there)? Can we ask more than Heaven?
 
Mary888 said:
There are many saints who were married. Even couples of saints married. And many saints who weren’t. Both sides are in Heaven. Is there anything superior to Heaven for us (especially since we are not even there or sure we’re going there)? Can we ask more than Heaven?
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That is true.

Can we ask more than Heaven? Well, we can have greater glory there according to the Council of Florence (1438-1445) those in heaven will “see clearly the one and Triune God Himself, just as He is, yet according to the diversity of merits, one more perfectly than another.”

For those in a state of grace can merit more through acts of penance, prayer, self-denial, mortification, almsgiving. Also, these are all added to, by the Church, through obtaining indulgences.
 
Do what you want, bro.

Want to marry? Then marry, and do it well.

Don’t want to marry? Then don’t, and do celibacy well.

Both paths have their joys and their difficulties.
 
As my experience thought me…celibate is great choice for me
 
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Never heard of married catholic priest maybe just these easthern byzantion rite (joined) churches but not sure all of them…never asked this
 
Interesting question, as this was the reading last Sunday.

Question is, what about those who are unwillingly celibate, or defacto singles? Is there any merit in that?
 
fin said:
Question is, what about those who are unwillingly celibate, or defacto singles? Is there any merit in that?
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There is merit in waiting patiently until you can licitly enjoy those things that are reserved to marriage.
 
Aww yes the converted priests that were married before becoming Catholics…yes of course they are not going to divorce and sin against Catholics belief of marriage 🙂
 
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It is a process of discernment, that of seeking one Sacrament (Matrimony) versus that of another (Holy Orders). It can be an agonizing, drawn out time of life, but love of God does not count the cost.
 
For the vast majority of people marriage would have to be the first option…isn’t that the reason God created us …both man…and woman…and command us to be fruitful and multiply…he didn’t create us man…and woman…and command us to remain celibate…of course he can also choose whomever he wants to remain celibate so they may be free to serve him in ways known only to him…I don’t think one is superior to the other as nothing God does is superior to another…it’s all perfect
 
The Council of Trent condemned this proposition…it was one of the particular errors of the Protestant reformers. The Church has always taught that celibacy, specially consecrated life, is a higher vocation than marriage. Marriage is good and holy, but celibacy is a higher calling. Yet few are called to the latter.
 
Throwing this out there, and maybe someone with more knowledge can add to this, but I’ve heard that St. Paul’s position on marriage in his letter to the Corinthians was inspired partly by some sort of hardship that was going on at the time, such as a famine or immense persecution of Christians and he thought it would not have been a good idea to bring children into the world at that precise moment. Thoughts?
 
twf said:
The Council of Trent condemned this proposition…it was one of the particular errors of the Protestant reformers. The Church has always taught that celibacy, specially consecrated life, is a higher vocation than marriage. Marriage is good and holy, but celibacy is a higher calling. Yet few are called to the latter.
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Can. 10 If anyone says that the married state excels the state of virginity or celibacy, and that it is better and happier to be united in matrimony than to remain in virginity or celibacy, let him be anathema.

The Reformers claimed that it was better to marry than to remain celibate, in which Trent anathematized. I wouldn’t say that ‘consecrated life is a higher vocation than marriage’, but that it is a higher and more direct road to union with Our Lord. Remember, marriage is a sacrament, consecrated life is not, unless Holy Orders is included. To say that one vocation is ‘higher’ than another I believe would be imprudent and a temptation for pride and envy.
 
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