The Religious Life

Speaker 0 00:00:00 <inaudible> Speaker 1 00:00:05 St. Gerard had to run away from home to join her temptress, or he's crawling up the window. His mother spotted him. She cried out, where are you going? What are you doing? St. Gerard's shouted back mother. I'm going away to be a Saint. I'm going away to be a Saint. And as we all know, he did just that. What are we doing here? Speaker 0 00:00:38 <inaudible> Speaker 1 00:00:40 Are we becoming safe? Isn't that just exactly why God has placed each one of us in this world? What are we doing here Speaker 1 00:00:55 Today? We're going to talk about the religious slide as an excellent way of becoming a Saint. But before we get going, let's remind ourselves that the basic demands of sanctifying grace are the same for all Catholics. If we die with sanctifying, grace, we can live in heaven. If we died without sanctifying grace, we can't, which means that we'll go to hell. There's only one reality. And that's it. So on the basic level, the life of grace is the same for all Catholics. What's different. Is it Catholics and different States of life? You somewhat different means to preserve and foster and live that life. Grace, okay, now we've already considered Holy matrimony as one way of becoming Holy and getting to heaven and the future. We'll also consider the sync of state and the priesthood, but a day, we'll take a quick look at the religious life. We'll start with a quick definition. Then we'll consider the religious life and the light of the three theological virtues, faith, hope, and charity. Then we'll consider how we can tell whether a particular religious institution is safe to enter. And these disastrous times, and finally we'll consider just who is called the religious life. Okay? So here's the traditional definition of religious life. Speaker 1 00:02:21 Religious life is a form of life approved by the church wherein some of the faithful joined into society, established themselves in order to tend to perfection by means of the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, which they make according to a rule close quote. So that gives us the general idea. Religious belong to church to prove societies they're governed by a rule. They have a goal of striving towards perfection. And I do that by me, three balls at chastity and obedience. Okay. Now let's take a look at the religious life and the light of faith, hope and charity. And to do this, we rely heavily on that great car. I'm like, I don't want to stations to the Holy rosary, not cut and splice quotes as needed for the sake of time. Light of faith caught on stations. Quote, the religious life has a characteristic of exalting. Speaker 1 00:03:24 The supremacy of God. The religious soul recognizes God and recognizing him as the absolute draws. The consequences that I belong to him must belong only to him who attracted to me and who has rights over me, such certainly comes from faith and in the strength of faith, the soul realizes that it must be entirely given to God. The religious lives for God alone in God, alone with God alone, and is happy to give witness by his life, to the supremacy of the Lord close quote. Once we see this reality that God is everything, and we're just proud dust that he's holding and being holding chest above the surface of nothing needs. Once we see that reality with the eyes of faith, it's easy to understand the idea of consecrated life, the kind of life that religious lead quote. If God is God, then the religious soul feels that its life must be given over exclusively to his service as a total offering of self to God being absently at his disposal, consumed and praise of his glory. Speaker 1 00:04:38 And in recognition of his Definity face, it throws one down on one's faith in the dust before the majesty of God and lifts one up to consecration union with God jealous for his honor and proud to be at his service, right to the end close quote. Now, once we see that the religious reacts to the absolute supremacy of God by his profound submission, then it's easy for us to understand the vow of obedience. Obedience depends upon faith. Why is it religious? So baby, it not because the superior is always right copy because he represents God. Obedience is a recognition of the supremacy of God in his vowel, obedience, the religious. Now he says to God, I recognize your authority to something common and indispensable tall Christians, but he also says to him, I recognized your Liberty to express your authority as you pleased, and the person or form that you choose. Speaker 1 00:05:48 Religious obedience then is an attitude of adoration of consecration to God close quote. And it's also easy for us to understand the significance of the gospel in the life of a religious quote, the gospel and the religious life or the fountain and the spray. The gospel is the font of all consecrated life. All that we have is there. The gospel is the story of God become our own. And we are religion because we believe that God is ours. Is it a story of humanity returning to God? And we are religious. So as to return to God, here's the story of a ministry that is accomplished. So they God and have all the glory that belongs to him. And then through this glory, he may have all the happiness for which he was created. We express these things in religious life so that we will wrote by God, that's what the world will believe and love him and finding him again, regain the Homeland close quote. Speaker 1 00:06:54 So what have we seen with respect to the virtue of faith and the religious life we've seen with the religious reacts, the almighty supremacy of God by submission, the submission leads logically to consecration, to the fire of obedience and to the centrality of the gospel. The life of hope that understand why for hope. We need to keep in mind what we've already seen. The central idea, this profound conviction that God alone matters. God alone, cons God alone is a value God alone. He saw, well, one, six, the religious life with the conviction that in this and through this way, God will be attained more securely and more profoundly. The desire and search for God is typical of the religious life. And in reality is an expression of hope. Unlike others who sanctify themselves. So they're secular professions. The religious is by profession. One who searches for God and looks to return a life close quote, a logical consequence of this profound orientation towards God towards eternal life is to make a decisive break with the things of this world, quote, the religious abandons, everything in order to follow the God alone. Speaker 1 00:08:19 He says goodbye to the world. Not as one who makes a sacrifice, but it's ones finally turned towards freedom with the spirit of one. Who's convinced of being privileged. Even if nature feels the burden of separation close, quote, the religious abandons, everything in order to follow God alone, not as one who makes his sacrifice, but as one finally turned towards freedom. Quote, the religious life involves every kind of attachment. One leaves, Homeland, family, wealth, profession, friends, culture, habits, attitudes, everything, all that roots and locates. A man must be left given up. Why not just as a penance and a sacrifice, but as an expression of hope, total renunciation in the religious life is the logical consequence of a certainty of hope. God alone, cops, God alone is a value. God alone is all. So we do not renounce with sorrow. Thinking of what we leave behind is more than what we seek. Speaker 1 00:09:31 But we were announced with joy. It is true that the things left behind are often in themselves. Beautiful and good religious does not renounce beautiful and good things because he does not appreciate them, but he renounces them because of the light of theological hope, everything here below loses its value close quote. And once we understand that the religious is inspired by this profound hope and God to joyfully, abandon everything, to follow him. Once we understand that, and it's easy for us to understand evolve poverty, quote, by the file of poverty, the religious earns his bridges and disarms itself. He abandoned his life completely to God, leaving obedience, to take care of every need, his gesture, which the world cannot understand would see madness. If we're not justified by an immense hope, an intimate conviction, that God is enough and more than a God. It means living to the letter, the words of the gospel Siki first, the kingdom of God and his chest is, and all these things shall be added on to you. Thus the religious places himself in the hands of God, as a son in his father's house, expecting everything from him, let him recognize that everything God gives his, his gift and everything that he does not give is not necessary. Not withstanding all appearances to the contrary close quote. Speaker 1 00:11:06 So what have we seen with respect to the virtue of hope in the life for the religious? Well, you've seen the religious is filled with an immense hope, a profound conviction that in this state of life and through the state of alive, God, the God who is enough and more than enough, we'll be attained more securely. And so the religious is inspire to announce everything in order to follow God alone, not as his sacrifice, but as his final turn towards freedom. And that leads to the vile poverty life for charity. The ultimate motive for the richest life is found in the virtue of charity. Love of God, loving God above all things, because he's all good and worthy of all love. God loves us and we love him. And in order that this love maybe our whole life become religious, the religious life, it's one of an undivided heart and will the soul wants God alone and expresses his desire for an undivided. Speaker 1 00:12:10 Love, not admitting any rival, any other presence that than what is of God or for God total of is his vocation. He feels that he says to God, I love you alone. Close quote, of course, this idea of a lover putting his true love first and not allowing anyone else to true to that relationship. That idea should be familiar to call it's the same idea as the father that a man and a woman make when they get married, when they promised forsake all others. Once you understand that it's easy for us to understand the file of chastity quote, the virtue of charity leads, devolve, chastity, such a vow like those of obedience and poverty is not made to put the accent on renunciation and sacrificed, but to put it on a totality of belonging of love and of dedication said, God may be truly exclusive and total love of one's life. Speaker 1 00:13:15 The five chassis event is not consistent. Something negative that consistent a choice, a positive preference of the one unique and infinite love or gun station. Even if at times it is burdensome is a consequence that does not deserve to be emphasized. So grave is the importance of the positive aspect of the file, close quote, and just like every other love affair. This love pours itself out first in contemplation with a loved one. And then an action that expresses that love quote, the religious life expresses love for God, even in his external works and occupations. If a religious is working or employed in any form of activity, the explicit form of motive is chaired. No matter what the form of religious life is governed in every respect by charity close quote, kind of last anxious to the Holy rosary. So what have we seen with respect to the virtue of charity in the life of the religious? Speaker 1 00:14:17 We've seen the primary motive for religious life is the love of God. We've seen it. The religious Watson undivided love of God with no rivals. If his total dedication and desire for God alone, logically leads to the vile chastity. Okay, we've taken a quick look at the definition of religious five would consider religious life in light of faith, hope and charity. Now it's quickly consider how we can tell if a particular religious congregation is safe to enter in these disastrous times. Look for five first, the union with the Holy father. Second has a true devotion car. Lord, the most busted stack three true devotion to Mary for the where they're having five. They keep the sending sounding unit with the Paul to vote our Lord in the bus and Sackman to devotion, to Mary, where their habit keep the real. Okay. Now let's quickly consider just who is called, but this section will rely on st. Speaker 1 00:15:18 Thomas. But before we deal with this question, there's a very important cost for parents. Now you've heard that before from dear parents. This is one place your authority does not extend st. Thomas st. Bernard Saint Alphonsus, all doctors, the church, all point out that is a mortal sin for parents to try to dissuade their children from falling a vocation. Okay. So who are called a good number of you are sitting out there wondering, do I have a calling to the religious life with Don stark? I've tried to figure it out by looking inside yourself. That's not how it works. Don't expect some little voice, some kind of private revelation. That's putting God to the test. That's asking for trouble. Remember that middle voice is inside. Don't know he's come from heaven. Don't look inside yourself. This is the most common air don't look inside yourself. It isn't a big puzzle thing where you're looking around searching through your memory. That's not how it works. Okay, father, if we don't look inside ourselves and how do I know if I ever call into the religious life? If you have a generous soul, the balanced personality, if you're relatively physically fit, if you're out of debt and start by asking yourself, what am I doing here? I only have one life to lead. Speaker 1 00:16:50 And when I do come in and say, be brutally honest with yourself, you only have one life to lead. Am I becoming a Saint? Speaker 0 00:17:01 <inaudible> Speaker 1 00:17:05 No considered advantages of the state in life. That great. Talk to the church st. Bernard, listen for st. Bernard says the religious life is quote a Holy state in which a man lives more, purely falls, more rare, rises, more speedily walks, more cautiously receives the showers of grace more frequently rests, more securely, dies, more confidently, passes through purgatory more quickly and is rewarded more abundantly in heaven, closed quote st. Bernard. Okay. Consider those advantages. Now, Ben, don't look inside yourself and listen up. How do you know if you have a calling to the religious life? It's easy. God is calling. God is always calling generous old soul. God is always calling souls that they're to give himself completely to him. God is always saying to you, come and follow me. Don't look inside yourself. For some small boys, all that's required is the desire to be a Saint and the firm will to follow through. Speaker 1 00:18:33 You don't have to be Holy already. As long as you have upright morals and a delicate conscience, the purpose of entering a religious congregation is to become Holy. All that's required is a desire to become a sane. And the Farmwell the follow through God is always calling generous, bold. So God is calling you all. You've had have affirmed desire to become a Saint and a will to fall through. If you have a generous soul and a bounce personality, relatively physically fit audit debt, all is required is to desire to become a Saint. A firm will to fall through. God's calling you st. Thomas says there's no need for long deliberation about whether or not you ought to go because in itself, the religious state is a better way of life. Don't delay discussions with your confessor. Make sure it's a good confessor that thinks with the church, keep it a secret. Don't talk to anyone. This includes your parents and family. Don't talk to them without the permission of a good confessor or your spiritual director. Keep it a secret. St. Thomas says, quote is better to enter religion with the purpose of making a trial and to not enter it all, go to school. All that's required to desire to become a Saint and affirm will the fall through God is calling you. Speaker 1 00:19:55 Let's close with a meditation by Fadam anally quote, if you want to vocation to the consecrated life, because you do not have one turn to our lady, of course, we should never pray. Lord, if the favor I asked you does not suit your plans, please change them. But a person's desire for the snowball favored and appreciation of its value of the Navy of graves, indicating that God wants to hear him and grant him the vocation and something intended for him from all eternity to be acquired in this way. If you already have this vocation and simply want to perfectly preserve it and fulfill it, then entrusted to our lady. If you're in danger of losing appeal at once to her, she will even work miracles to preserve this gift of God. For you provided that you hasten to her with childlike trust and affection. You may then hope that you are unable to reach paradise by way of a long path. Namely, consecration of God, God is calling you. Don't delay. Let's kneel down and pray. Our lady will inspire many vocations to religious life. Mark communities in our families. Speaker 0 00:21:11 <inaudible>.