Celibacy is a special vocation to live life without sexual intercourse and to integrate one’s sexuality completely into one’s life — into all that one does and says.
All of us are called to live an integrated life, expressing our masculinity or femininity in who we are as human persons, but so often we make the error of thinking that only priests and bishops, monks and nuns are called to celibacy. It is thought of as a “religious vocation.”
We make another error, I think, when we fail to see that all of us are called to integrate our sexuality into all we do as men or women, as masculine or feminine, when we compartmentalize our sexuality from our daily lives.
Not only are priests, bishops and religious called to celibacy but so too are single men and women. Their’s is a special vocation.
All our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters are called by God to celibacy and a healthy integration of their sexuality into their lives and relationships. God gives them a special vocation, and special graces. Do we treat them as people in that way? Do we recognize their struggle to express their masculinity or femininity in a healthy celibate way, a special struggle, a difficult one, and for so many a silent one?
As anyone knows who tries to live a chaste life — celibate or married — it is not easy. Our sexuality touches our core. To integrate it completely into who we are is a journey of faith and a journey into our minds, hearts and bodies.
Let us pray for all our brothers and sisters called to the celibate state of life. Let us pray for all of us married folk who together with them are called to holiness of life which includes a healthy regard for our sexuality and its integration into our whole lives.
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