FOR the better understanding of vocations we shall give a brief explanation of the evangelical counsels.
Q. What are the evangelical counsels?
A. They are Gospel advices or recommendations.
Q. Why are they called counsels?
A. Because they are not commanded but counselled by Our Lord, and recommended as means of greater perfection.
Q. Why are they called "evangelical" counsels?
A. Because they are recommended in the Gospel. Evangelism is the Latin word for gospel.
[1.] Poverty.
Q. Which is the first of the evangelical counsels?
A. Voluntary poverty. That means renouncing the use of money and possessions by our own free will to follow Christ.
Q. What is the advantage of this counsel?
A. The practice of this counsel uproots a most dangerous passion: "For they that will become rich fall into temptation, and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition."
Q. Is there any special blessing promised to those who follow this counsel?
A. Yes: "Every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting."
Q. Is this counsel given to all?
A. The Fathers of the Church teach that this counsel is recommended to all. The above words of Our Lord are unrestricted: "And every one that hath left house, or brethren," etc.
[2.] Perpetual Chastity.