Chapter IX

DOUBTS ABOUT A VOCATION TO THE RELIGIOUS STATE.

_Views of St. Ignatius and St. Francis de Sales._

Q. What should be done by a person who thinks of entering the religious state, but fears that he may not be called to it by Almighty God?

A. St. Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuit Order, gives an excellent answer to this question. He says: "If a person thinks of embracing a secular life, he should ask and desire more evident signs that God calls him to a secular life than if there were question of embracing the evangelical counsels; for Our Lord Himself has evidently exhorted us to embrace His counsels, and, on the other hand, He has evidently laid before us the great dangers and difficulties of a secular life; so that, if we rightly conclude, revelations and extraordinary tokens of His will are more necessary for a man entering upon a life in the world than for one entering the religious state."

Q. Is this doctrine of St. Ignatius supported by Sacred Scripture?

A. This doctrine is in perfect harmony with the teaching of the Scriptures. Our blessed Lord says: "Woe to the world because of scandals;" and St. John, the beloved disciple, says: "If any man love the world, the charity of the Father _is not in him;_ for all that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh, and the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life."

Q. Can you quote other reliable authority on this matter of uncertain vocations?

A. Yes; Lehmkuhl, a standard theologian, says: "In order that a person may safely embrace the religious state probable signs of a vocation are sufficient, together with a firm will of fulfilling the obligations to be assumed."

Q. What does St. Francis de Sales teach on this point?

A. On this subject St. Francis de Sales says: "To have a sign of a true vocation it is not necessary that our constancy be _sensible;_ it suffices if our good intention remains in the _superior_ part of our soul. And therefore we must not judge that a vocation is not a true one if a person does not feel sensible movements."

Q. What if this divine call should change to coldness and repugnance?

A. St. Francis de Sales answers: "It is enough that the will remains firm in not abandoning the divine call, and also that some affection remains for this call, even though a person should feel a coldness and repugnance which sometimes cause him to waver and to fear that all is lost."

Q. What does St. Francis de Sales say about expecting direct proofs from God?

A. St. Francis says: "To know whether God will have a person become a religious it is not to be expected that God _Himself_ should speak, or send an angel from heaven to signify His will. It is not necessary that ten or twelve confessors should examine whether the vocation is to be followed. But it is necessary to correspond with the first movement of the inspiration, and to cultivate it, and then not to grow weary if disgust or coldness should come on. If a person acts thus, God will not fail to make all succeed to His glory. Nor ought we to care much from what quarter the first movement comes. The Lord has many ways of calling servants."