CHAPTER I

WHAT IS MEANT BY RELIGION? WHEREIN DOES ITS PERFECTION CONSIST?

IN order to understand the meaning of religion, we must know the etymology of the word. St. Augustine in his book de vera religione considers it to be derived from re-ligare (to re-bind). One thing is bound to another, when it is so joined to it, that it cannot separate from it, and unite itself to anything else. The word re-binding, however, implies that one thing, though united to another, has begun, in some degree, to disconnect itself from that other. Now, every creature existed, originally, rather in God than in itself. By creation, however, it came forth from God, and, in a certain measure, it began, in its essence, to have an existence apart from Him. Hence, every rational creature ought to be reunited to God, to whom it was united before it existed apart from Him, even as, "unto the place whence the rivers come, they return to flow again" (Ecclesiast. i.). Therefore, St. Augustine says, (de vera religione), "Religion reunites us to the one Almighty God." We find the same idea expressed in the commentary of the Gloss, on the words, "for of Him, and by Him" (Rom. xi. 36).

             The first bond whereby man is united to God, is that of Faith. For, "he that cometh to God must believe" (Hebr. xi. 6). Latria, which is the worship of God as the Beginning of all things, is the duty of man in this life. Hence, religion, primarily and chiefly, signifies latria, which renders worship to God by the expression of the true Faith. St. Augustine makes the same observation in his 10th book de Civitate Dei, where he says, "Religion signifies not worship of any kind, but the worship of God." Cicero in his ancient Rhetoric gives almost the same definition of religion. He says that, "Religion is that which presents certain homage and ceremonies to a higher nature, which men call the Divine Nature." Hence, all that belongs to the true Faith, and the homage of latria which we owe to God, are the primary and chief elements of religion. But, religion is affected, in a secondary manner, by everything by which we manifest our service to God. For, as St. Augustine says in his Enchiridion, "God is worshipped not only by faith, but, likewise, by hope and charity. Hence, all offices of charity may be called works of religion." In this sense St. James says (i. 27), "Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit the orphans and the widow in their tribulation," etc.

             Religion, then, bears a twofold meaning. Its first signification is that re-binding, which the word implies, whereby a man unites himself to God, by faith and fitting worship. Every Christian, at his Baptism, when he renounces Satan and all his pomps, is made partaker of the true religion. The second meaning of religion is, the obligation whereby a man binds himself to serve God in a peculiar manner, by specified works of charity, and by renunciation of the world. It is in this sense that we intend to use the word religion at present. By charity, befitting homage is rendered to God. This homage may be paid to Him by the exercise of either the active, or the contemplative, life. Homage is paid to Him by the various duties of the active life, whereby works of charity are performed towards our neighbour. Therefore, some religious orders, such as the monastic and eremetical, are instituted for the worship of God by contemplation. Others have been established to serve God, in His members, by action. Such are the Orders wherein the brethren devote themselves to assisting the sick, redeeming captives, and to similar works of mercy. There is no work of mercy, for the performance of which, a religious order may not be instituted; even though one be not as yet established for that specific purpose.

             As by Baptism man is re-united to God by the religion of faith, and dies to sin; so, by the vows of the religious life, he dies, not only to sin, but also to the world, in order to live solely for God in that work in which he has dedicated himself to the Divine service. As the life of the soul is destroyed by sin; 80, likewise, the service of Christ is hindered by worldly occupations. For, as St. Paul says (2 Tim. ii. 4), "No man being a soldier to God, entangleth himself with secular businesses." It is on this account, that, by the vows of religion, sacrifice is made of all those things, in which the heart of man is wont to be especially absorbed, and which are, consequently, his chief obstacles in the service of God.

             That which, first and chiefly, engrosses man is marriage. Hence, St. Paul writes (1 Cor. vii. 23), "I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God. But he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the things of the world, how he may please his wife; and he is divided."

             The second thing that fills man's heart, is the possession of earthly riches. " The care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choketh up the word, and he becometh fruitless" (Matt. xiii. 22). Hence the Gloss, commenting on the words of St. Luke (viii.), "But that which fell among thorns," etc., says, "Riches, although men seem to take pleasure in them, become as thorns to their possessors. They pierce the hearts of such as covetously desire, and avariciously hoard them."

             The third thing on which man is inclined to centre his heart, is his own will. He who is his own master, has the care of directing his life. Therefore, we are counselled to commit the disposal of ourselves to Divine Providence, " casting all your care upon Him, for He hath care of you " (1 Peter v. 7). "Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence " (Prov. iii. 5).

             Hence, perfect religion is consecrated to God by a three-fold vow. By the vow of chastity whereby marriage is renounced. By the vow of poverty, whereby riches are sacrificed. And by the vow of obedience, whereby self-will is immolated. By these three vows man offers to God the sacrifice of all that he possesses. By the vow of chastity, he offers his body, according to the words of St. Paul, "Present your bodies a living sacrifice" (Rom. xii. 1). By the vow of poverty, he makes an offering to God of all his external possessions, as did St. Paul, who says, "that the oblation of my service may be acceptable in Jerusalem to the Saints " (Rom. xv. 31). By the vow of obedience, he offers to God that sacrifice of the spirit of which David says, "the sacrifice of God is an afflicted spirit," etc. (Ps. l. 19).

             But these three vows are, in the sight of God, not a sacrifice only, but also a holocaust. This, in the Old Law, was the most acceptable form of sacrifice. St. Gregory says (8 Homil. II. part. on Ezech.), "When a man vows to God one part only of his possessions, he offers a sacrifice. When, however, he offers all that he has, all that he loves, and his entire life to the Almighty, he presents to Him a holocaust." Hence, religion, understood in its secondary sense, in so far as it presents a sacrifice to God, imitates religion taken in its primary sense. There are some who renounce a part of the things which are sacrificed by the religious vows; but this partial renunciation is not perfect religion. The observances customary in religious orders, are intended to be helps, either to the avoidance of what has been renounced by the vows, or to the accomplishment of the promises which religious make to God.

             Hence, we see that in a certain sense (secundum quid) one religious Order may be judged more perfect than another. The complete perfection of anything consists in its prosecution of the end to which it is ordained. The perfection of a religious Order depends, chiefly, upon two things. First, it depends upon the purpose for which the Order was instituted. That Order is the most perfect which is destined to the noblest work. Thus a comparison may be made between the active and contemplative Orders, according to the comparative utility and dignity of the active and contemplative life. Secondly, a religious Order is more or less perfect, in proportion as it fulfils the end whereto it was instituted. It is not enough for an order to be established for a specific purpose, unless its customs and observances be adapted to the attainment of that purpose. If two Orders be founded for the sake of contemplation, that one in which contemplation is chiefly facilitated, must be considered the more perfect of the two. But, because, in the words of St. Augustine, "None can begin a new life, unless he repent of his old life," any religious Order, in which a man begins to lead a new life, must be a state of penance, whereby he may be purged of his old life.

             For this reason, a third comparison may be made between religious Orders. That one being reputed the most perfect, wherein the most austerities and penitential exercises, such as fasts and poverty, are practised. But, the first points which we have mentioned are the most essential to religious life. A conclusion as to the perfection of an Order, must, therefore, be based upon the perfection with which these points are observed. For perfection of religious life depends more upon interior justice, than upon external abstinence.

             We see, then, what is the nature of religion, or the religious life, and in what religious perfection consists. Our next task will be to repeat the arguments adduced by the adversaries of Religion, and then to refute them.

             We shall proceed, therefore, in the following order. We shall enquire:

             1. Whether it be lawful for a religious to teach.

             2. Whether a religious may lawfully belong to a college of secular teachers.

             3. Whether a religious, not charged with the care of souls, may lawfully preach and hear Confessions.

             4. Whether a religious be bound to manual labour.

             5. Whether a religious may lawfully renounce all that he possesses, retaining no property, either private or common.

             6. Whether a religious, especially one belonging to a Mendicant Order, may, lawfully, live on alms.