Should I re-discern my vocation?

[cyberwolf001]

This fellow is from my area. He got Baptized and confirmed together this year during Easter vigil. He plans to become a religious and has told me repeatedly to rethink my vocation to the married life.

Basically he told me it is obvious we are in the end times and that my chances to achieve the Beatific Vision are GREATLY reduced to almost nil unless I become some sort of celibate. ANY kind of celibate.

Is there ANY truth to this?

Personally I think while we should watch for the hour; screaming IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD! Is a waste of effort. Better to pray Gods mercy and try to help as many people as we can spiritually and physically.

 

[Miserissima]

Basically he told me it is obvious we are in the end times and that my chances to achieve the Beatific Vision are GREATLY reduced to almost nil unless I become some sort of celibate. ANY kind of celibate.

Is there ANY truth to this?

Many saints have said that marriage is a less noble way to live, and would encourage people to live celibate in order to focus more on God and no tbe distracted by spouse and family.

I recall that the Church once influenced society with noble ideas of consecrated celibacy, but isn’t it more of a sin not to cooperate with God’s plan for your life? And what if God’s plan included a vocation to the married state?

The judgement - both general and particular - depend on how you respond to what God has chosen for your vocation in this life, and how you live up to it. All you need to do is respond to God’s call and live your life in that vocation as best you can.

If this is your friend’s personal revelation or private devotion, that’s good for him. Does he have anything from legit sources to back this up? If he quotes the Apostle’s words of 1 Cor 7:9, " But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burnt," there are several points to be made:

1. This passage says that marrying is a saving grace, rather than to be tempted to fall into sexual sin.
2. Paul was speaking of his opinion only, for in verse 6 he writes, “But I speak this by indulgence,not by commandment,” which menas it was a personal opinion; he was not directed solely by the Holy Spirit to write this.
3. Marriage is a a lifetime, ongoing sacrament, an outward sign on inward grace, from which people receive graces every day they are married.

It is no less noble to respond to the vocation to which one is called.

 

[DebChris]

Pope John Paul II addresses the importance of marriage in his Welcoming the Millenium:

“Families are meant to contribute to the transformation of the earth and the renewal of the world, of creation and of all humanity.”

Matrimony is a Sacrament. The Wedding of Cana is where Jesus performed his first miracle. The water that was changed into wine was water that was set aside for purification. Marriage is sacred and this action speaks to that sanctity.
Jesus further discusses the indissolvability of marriage when asked why Moses allows divorce."…in the beginning it was not so."

Your friend is a new convert and therefore his zeal is quite understandable. From a Jesus Day Conference in Chicago, “It is possible to become so filled with the Spirit as to lose sight of the Spirit.” As he discerns a possible call to religious life, his concerns and the questions raised will be more fully addressed. Keep him in your prayers.

 

[CB_Catholic]

This fellow is from my area. He got Baptized and confirmed together this year during Easter vigil. He plans to become a religious and has told me repeatedly to rethink my vocation to the married life.

Basically he told me it is obvious we are in the end times and that my chances to achieve the Beatific Vision are GREATLY reduced to almost nil unless I become some sort of celibate. ANY kind of celibate.

Is there ANY truth to this?

Personally I think while we should watch for the hour; screaming IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD! Is a waste of effort. Better to pray Gods mercy and try to help as many people as we can spiritually and physically.

Well, now, if we were all celibate, how would we fulfill God’s command to “be fruitful and multiply”? I think your friend needs some serious solid spiritual direction. Perhaps in charity you could suggest this to him?

 

[Coreopisis]

This fellow is from my area. He got Baptized and confirmed together this year during Easter vigil. He plans to become a religious and has told me repeatedly to rethink my vocation to the married life.

Basically he told me it is obvious we are in the end times and that my chances to achieve the Beatific Vision are GREATLY reduced to almost nil unless I become some sort of celibate. ANY kind of celibate.

Is there ANY truth to this?

Personally I think while we should watch for the hour; screaming IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD! Is a waste of effort. Better to pray Gods mercy and try to help as many people as we can spiritually and physically.

The end of the world is going to come when we least expect it.

Your friend is new to the faith and it sounds like he has a lot to learn especially about marriage. Marriage is a sacrement and many are called to it just like becoming a Priest or a Nun. All are necessary all are part of His plan.

As for having to be a celibate to go to heaven I have to disagree there. How does he know? Only God knows what the plans are for our life. No matter what our calling is we have been given free will to allow us to choose to live it honestly and faithfully and get us to heaven no matter what our path is.

I would tell your friend that although you appreciate his concern for your soul, his efforts would be better spent in prayer for you to do what God wills for to. Meanwhile if he seriously wants to become a Priest or whatnot he has a long road to travel. He should really be focused on getting himself educated and pious before making such judgements to others. He is not in a place yet to give such advice.

 

[DebChris]

CCC1609 After the fall, marriage helps to overcome self-absorption, egoism, pursuit of one’s own pleasure, and to open oneslef to the other, to mutual aid and to self-giving.

It is between you and God when it comes to the best way to fulfill the law of love.

 

[Norseman82]

This fellow is from my area. He got Baptized and confirmed together this year during Easter vigil. He plans to become a religious and has told me repeatedly to rethink my vocation to the married life.

Basically he told me it is obvious we are in the end times and that my chances to achieve the Beatific Vision are GREATLY reduced to almost nil unless I become some sort of celibate. ANY kind of celibate.

Is there ANY truth to this?

Personally I think while we should watch for the hour; screaming IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD! Is a waste of effort. Better to pray Gods mercy and try to help as many people as we can spiritually and physically.

The guy is a “few fries short of a Happy Meal” and needs to get deprogrammed.

 

[KCT]

It’s your vocation and you need to discern. He doesn’t get to discern for you . —KCT