THE THREE EVANGELICAL COUNSELS.
FOR the better understanding of vocations we shall give a brief
explanation of the evangelical counsels.
Q. What are the evangelical counsels?
A. They are Gospel advices or recommendations.
Q. Why are they called counsels?
A. Because they are not commanded but _counselled_ by Our Lord, and
recommended as means of greater perfection.
Q. Why are they called "evangelical" counsels?
A. Because they are recommended in the Gospel. _Evangelism_ is the
Latin word for gospel.
_1. Poverty._
Q. Which is the first of the evangelical counsels?
A. Voluntary poverty. That means renouncing the use of money and
possessions by our own free will to follow Christ.
Q. What is the advantage of this counsel?
A. The practice of this counsel uproots a most dangerous passion: "For
they that will become rich fall into temptation, and into the snare of
the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown
men into destruction and perdition."
Q. Is there any special blessing promised to those who follow this
counsel?
A. Yes: "Every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or
father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name's sake,
shall receive a hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting."
Q. Is this counsel given to all?
A. The Fathers of the Church teach that this counsel is recommended to
all. The above words of Our Lord are unrestricted: "And _every one_
that hath left house, or brethren," etc.
_2. Perpetual Chastity._
Q. Which is the second evangelical counsel?
A. Perpetual chastity; that is, a voluntary abstaining from marriage
in order to dedicate one's self in a more special manner to the love
and service of God and to the great work of salvation.
Q. Is this counsel recommended in the Sacred Scriptures and in the
Fathers?
A. It certainly is, as we have seen in the chapter on "Virginity."
Q. Is this counsel of chastity recommended to all?
A. This counsel, as well as the other two evangelical counsels, is
recommended to all. The Fathers say that these words, "He that can
take, let him take it," mean, He that _is willing_ to take this
counsel let him take it. And St. Paul says: "I would that _all men_
were even as myself."
Q. What if one should exhort people in general to choose matrimony as
a state preferable to perpetual chastity?
A. Such a one would be speaking against faith, as we have seen in the
chapter on "Virginity." The "Catechism of the Council of Trent" says:
"As it is the duty of the pastor to propose to himself the holiness
and perfection of the faithful, his earnest desires _must be in full
accordance_ with those of the Apostle when, writing to the
Corinthians, he says: 'I would that all men were even as myself;' that
is," continue the Fathers of Trent, "that all embraced the virtue of
continence." The marginal _resume_ of this paragraph in the "Catechism
of the Council of Trent" is: "A life of continence _to be desired by
all_."
_3. Obedience._
Q. Which is the third evangelical counsel?
A. Entire obedience; that is, a total subjection of one's will to that
of lawful superiors in all that is not sin.
Q. What Scripture warrant have we for this counsel?
A. The life of Christ was a continual model of perfect obedience. From
twelve to thirty years of age all that we are told of Him in the
Sacred Scriptures is that "He went down with them, and came to
Nazareth, and was subject to them." Obedience is a most effectual
means of subduing self-will and self-love, which are our most fatal
enemies. "An obedient man shall speak of victory," because obedience
draws down a most special and abundant grace; for so pleasing is it to
God that He says of it: "Obedience is better than sacrifices."