"As Christ revealed through his own example, the celibate life is an especially effective way of furthering God's kingdom. …
"Jesus did not promote a celibacy that degrades marriage. … In order for virginity to be spiritually fruitful, it must be freely chosen and directed toward the kingdom.
"Effective celibacy springs from deep faith. …Celibacy for the kingdom is a sign of the other world, bearing within itself the power of the redemption of the body. …
"Following Christ and furthering his kingdom — these are the true motivations for choosing celibacy.
It is not a command for all, but an invitation for some. …Since marriage remains the normal or ordinary vocation, celibacy will always be an exceptional one.
"Christ does not gloss over the difficulties of the celibate life. While men and women with normal — and noble — human inclinations for marriage choose to forgo marriage for the sake of the kingdom, they will struggle. For this reason, a celibate person must continually renew the source of his or her motivation."
An der Grabstätte von Kronprinzessin Cecilie
1 week ago
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