The celibacy of Catholic Priesthood has been a bone of contention especially among other Christian denominations. Many has argued against it as if it has no biblical backup. As a matter of fact, some see it as a form of deceit from demons and other Spirits as they quote 1Tim.4:1-3 -"Now the spirit expressely, that in latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats..." Of course this has no relation to Priesthood celibacy, since the Church is a perfect divine establishment.
The Catholic Church requires her priests to be pure in body as well as in soul, and to "Present their bodies a living victim, holy, well-pleasing unto God." (Rom12:1). Though Christ and his Apostles recognized matrimony as a holy state, they proclaimed the superior merits of voluntary continence, particularly for those who consecrate their lives to the sacred ministry. This is well proven when Christ said in Matt.19:12 - "There are eunuchs who have made themselves such for the kingdom of Heaven's sake. He who can take it, let him take it."
St. Paul made it clear also that - "He who is unmarried careth for the things of the lord - how he may please God. But he who is married is solicitous about the things of the world - how he may please his wife - and he is divided."(1Cor.7:32-33).
Hence, Christ declare continence to be more suitable state for his Ministers than that of matrimony.
To tell you how Christ manifested his predilection for virginity, he not only remained a virgin but also selected a Virgin-Mother and a Virgin-Precursor - St. John de Baptist, and sharing special affection for John de Evangelist, who was chosen by Christ a virgin and thus remained so, as testified by St. Augustine.
The Christ's like for virgins can also be seen in (Rev.14), where all the One hundred and forty-four who were chosen to sing the New Canticle for him are all virgins.
Again, there is no biblical prove that part from St. Peter, any other Apostle was married. St. Jerome says that if any were married, they certainly separated from their wives after they were called to Apostolate. It can be inferred from Peter's words in (Matt.19:27): "Behold we have left all things and followed thee." If they had not left everything including theirs wives then Peter would have avoided 'all things'.
In the primitive days of the Church, owing to the scarcity of vocations among unmarried men, married men were admitted to sacred orders, but they were enjoined, as we learn from various canons, to live separated from their wives after their ordination. Only the unmarried Priests could be made the Bishops.
The Catholic Priests are representatives of Jesus Christ. It is their duty to preach the word, to administer the sacraments and above all, to consecrate the Body and Blood of Christ and to distribute the same to the faithful. However, it is becoming that a chaste lord should be served by a chaste minister.
More so, Priests therefore toe the line of Christ by sacrificing married life for the sake of the kingdom and like Christ, become married to the Church, the bride of Christ.
We can recall that in the promised land, the tribe of Levi, which is the priestly family, did not receive any share of the promised land, unlike other tribes of Is real; for God is her own inheritance (Num 1:48-53).
Celibacy is not a recent introduction into the Church of the West but something that has been in place since the fourth century, which was strengthened in the eleventh century.
The Catholic Church requires her priests to be pure in body as well as in soul, and to "Present their bodies a living victim, holy, well-pleasing unto God." (Rom12:1). Though Christ and his Apostles recognized matrimony as a holy state, they proclaimed the superior merits of voluntary continence, particularly for those who consecrate their lives to the sacred ministry. This is well proven when Christ said in Matt.19:12 - "There are eunuchs who have made themselves such for the kingdom of Heaven's sake. He who can take it, let him take it."
St. Paul made it clear also that - "He who is unmarried careth for the things of the lord - how he may please God. But he who is married is solicitous about the things of the world - how he may please his wife - and he is divided."(1Cor.7:32-33).
Hence, Christ declare continence to be more suitable state for his Ministers than that of matrimony.
To tell you how Christ manifested his predilection for virginity, he not only remained a virgin but also selected a Virgin-Mother and a Virgin-Precursor - St. John de Baptist, and sharing special affection for John de Evangelist, who was chosen by Christ a virgin and thus remained so, as testified by St. Augustine.
The Christ's like for virgins can also be seen in (Rev.14), where all the One hundred and forty-four who were chosen to sing the New Canticle for him are all virgins.
Again, there is no biblical prove that part from St. Peter, any other Apostle was married. St. Jerome says that if any were married, they certainly separated from their wives after they were called to Apostolate. It can be inferred from Peter's words in (Matt.19:27): "Behold we have left all things and followed thee." If they had not left everything including theirs wives then Peter would have avoided 'all things'.
In the primitive days of the Church, owing to the scarcity of vocations among unmarried men, married men were admitted to sacred orders, but they were enjoined, as we learn from various canons, to live separated from their wives after their ordination. Only the unmarried Priests could be made the Bishops.
The Catholic Priests are representatives of Jesus Christ. It is their duty to preach the word, to administer the sacraments and above all, to consecrate the Body and Blood of Christ and to distribute the same to the faithful. However, it is becoming that a chaste lord should be served by a chaste minister.
More so, Priests therefore toe the line of Christ by sacrificing married life for the sake of the kingdom and like Christ, become married to the Church, the bride of Christ.
We can recall that in the promised land, the tribe of Levi, which is the priestly family, did not receive any share of the promised land, unlike other tribes of Is real; for God is her own inheritance (Num 1:48-53).
Celibacy is not a recent introduction into the Church of the West but something that has been in place since the fourth century, which was strengthened in the eleventh century.
Comments
Post a Comment