Chapter I

When we consider the conduct of men generally, we see at a glance that the lives of vast numbers of them are not in conformity with the truths we have been studying; and we are reminded of the words of Christ: “Wide is the gate and broad the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are that go in thereat. How narrow is the gate and straight the way that leadeth to life, and few there are that find it” (St. Matth. vii, 13, 14). Of course the way of salvation, owing to His preaching and His merits, is now much wider than when He spoke those words; but yet it appears to be, through men’s own fault, much narrower than it should be. What is the condition of religious in this respect? It is well worth while to examine what is the effect of our religious vocation on the most important of all our interests, the attaining of the end for which we were created. Now it is clear that the religious life offers many great advantages for that purpose.

1. We are created to _praise, reverence and serve_ God. Now the religious life is entirely directed to these objects. 1. We are constantly employed in the promotion of the _praise_ and glory of God: all our labors are directed to it; the place we live in, the occupations assigned us and all the circumstances of them are selected with a view of this purpose.

2. The _reverence_ shown to God is continually fostered by a long succession of common and private prayers, Holy Masses, recitation of the Divine Office, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, etc., from morning till night, day after day, year after year, till death.

3. The _service_ of God, the accomplishment of His holy will, is not confined to the observance of His Commandments and those of His Church; but, by adding the rules of the Order, the will of God is made known and accomplished in all the details of life.

Thus the religious is constantly occupied with the praise, reverence and service of God. His heart is not divided between different objects of his love: “He that is without a wife,” says St. Paul, “is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God; but he that is with a wife is solicitous for the things of the world, how he may please his wife; and he is divided” (I Cor. vii, 32, 33).

The condition of mind in religious is _like that of the Blessed Angels_, who are busy with God and the things of God. It is _like that of the Holy Family_ while it abode on earth; so that a religious house is a copy of the Holy House of Nazareth.

And all this is not to last for a little while only, but for a whole lifetime; for the religious vows give stability and permanence for all years to come.

Therefore this sacrifice is compared by theologians to _a holocaust_, the most perfect of the ancient sacrifices, in which, namely, the whole victim was consumed in the fire. Thus one religious is likely to do more than a number of seculars for the praise and reverence and service of God.