Marriage and Continence
Complement Each Other
General Audience, April 14, 1982
No reference to inferiority of
marriage
1. Let us now continue our reflections of the previous weeks on the
words about continence for the sake of the kingdom of heaven which
Christ addressed to his disciples, according to the Gospel of
Matthew (cf. 19:10-12).
Let us say once more that these words, as concise as they are, are
admirably rich and precise. They are rich with a number of
implications both of a doctrinal and pastoral nature. At the same
time they establish a proper limit on the subject. Therefore, any
kind of Manichaean interpretation decidedly goes beyond that limit,
so that, according to what Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount,
there is lustful desire "in the heart" (Mt 5:27-28).
In Christ's words on continence for the kingdom of heaven there is
no reference to the inferiority of marriage with regard to the body,
or in other words with regard to the essence of marriage, consisting
in the fact that man and woman join together in marriage, thus
becoming one flesh. "The two will become one flesh" (Gn 2:24).
Christ's words recorded in Matthew 19:11-12 (as also the words of
Paul in 1 Cor 7) give no reason to assert the inferiority of
marriage, nor the superiority of virginity or celibacy inasmuch as
by their nature virginity and celibacy consist in abstinence from
the conjugal union in the body. Christ's words on this point are
quite clear. He proposes to his disciples the ideal of continence
and the call to it, not by reason of inferiority, nor with prejudice
against conjugal union of the body, but only for the sake of the
kingdom of heaven.
Relationship between marriage and continence
2. In this light a deeper clarification of the expression "for the
sake of the kingdom. of heaven" is especially useful. This is what
we shall try to do in the following, at least briefly. However, with
regard to the correct understanding of the relationship between
marriage and continence that Christ speaks about, and the
understanding of that relationship as all Tradition has understood
it, it is worthwhile to add that superiority and inferiority fall
within the limits of the same complementarity of marriage and
continence for the kingdom of God.
Marriage and continence are neither opposed to each other, nor do
they divide the human (and Christian) community into two camps (let
us say, those who are "perfect" because of continence and those who
are "imperfect" or "less perfect" because of the reality of married
life). But as it is often said, these two basic situations, these
two "states," in a certain sense explain and complete each other as
regards the existence and Christian life of this community. In its
entirety and in each of its members this is fulfilled in the
dimension of the kingdom of God and has an eschatological
orientation, which is precisely of that kingdom. So, with regard to
this dimension and this orientation—in which the entire community,
that is, all of those who belong to it, must share in the
faith—continence for the kingdom of heaven has a particular
importance and a special eloquence for those who live a married
life. Besides, these constitute the majority.
3. It therefore seems that a complementarity understood in this way
finds its foundation in the words of Christ according to Matthew
19:11-12 (and also 1 Cor 7). On the other hand there is no basis for
a presumed counter position according to which celibates (or
unmarried persons), only by reason of their continence, would make
up the class of those who are "perfect," and, to the contrary,
married persons would make up a class of those who are "imperfect"
(or "less perfect"). If, according to a certain theological
tradition, one speaks of a state of perfection (status perfectionis),
it is done not by reason of continence in itself. But it is in
regard to the entirety of a life based on the evangelical counsels
(poverty, chastity and obedience), since this life corresponds to
Christ's call to perfection: "If you would be perfect..." (Mt
19:21). Perfection of the Christian life, instead, is measured with
the rule of charity. It follows that a person who does not live in
the state of perfection (that is, in an institute that bases its
life plan on vows of poverty, chastity and obedience), or in other
words, who does not live in a religious institute but in the
"world," can de facto reach a superior degree of perfection—whose
measure is charity—in comparison to the person who lives in the
state of perfection with a lesser degree of charity. In any case,
the evangelical counsels undoubtedly help us to achieve a fuller
charity. Therefore, whoever achieves it, even if he does not live in
an institutionalized state of perfection, reaches that perfection
which flows from charity, through fidelity to the spirit of those
counsels. Such perfection is possible and accessible to every
person, both in a religious institute and in the "world."
Complementarity
4. It seems then that the complementarity of marriage and continence
for the kingdom of heaven, in their significance and manifold
importance, adequately corresponds to Christ's words recorded in
Matthew (19:11-12). In the life of an authentically Christian
community the attitudes and values proper to the one and the other
state—that is, to one or the other essential and conscious choice as
a vocation for one's entire earthly life and in the perspective of
the "heavenly Church"—complete and in a certain sense interpenetrate
each other. Perfect conjugal love must be marked by that fidelity
and that donation to the only Spouse (and also of the fidelity and
donation of the Spouse to the only Bride), on which religious
profession and priestly celibacy are founded. Finally, the nature of
one and the other love is "conjugal," that is, expressed through the
total gift of oneself. Both types of love tend to express that
conjugal meaning of the body which from the beginning has been
inscribed in the personal makeup of man and woman. We shall return
to this point at a later date.
Each his special gift
5. On the other hand, conjugal love which finds its expression in
continence for the kingdom of heaven must lead in its normal
development to paternity or maternity in a spiritual sense (in other
words, precisely to that fruitfulness of the Holy Spirit that we
have already spoken about), in a way analogous to conjugal love,
which matures in physical paternity and maternity, and in this way
confirms itself as conjugal love. For its part, physical procreation
also fully responds to its meaning only if it is completed by
paternity and maternity in the spirit, whose expression and fruit is
all the educative work of the parents in regard to the children born
of their conjugal corporeal union.
As can be seen, there are many aspects and spheres of the
complementarity between the vocation, in an evangelical sense, of
those who "marry and are given in marriage" (Lk 20:34), and of those
who knowingly and voluntarily choose continence "for the kingdom of
heaven" (Mt 19:12).
In First Corinthians (which we will analyze later in our
considerations), St. Paul will write on this subject: "Each has his
special gift from God, one of one kind and one of another" (1 Cor
7:7).
Taken from: L'Osservatore Romano Weekly Edition in English 19 April
1982, page 10
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