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183. Meaning of State of Life

1. By a person's state we indicate somethingthat establishes him with some permanence in his position and laysupon him pertinent duties. A person's state is not somethingmainly external and readily changeable; rather it is somethinginternally recognized by intellect and embraced by will as lastingand in some measure binding. Thus, we do not speak of a man'sbeing rich or poor as his state; this is his condition.But we do speak of a man's state as his being married orsingle, priest or layman or religious.

2. It is suitable that within the Church there should bevarious states, each with its own duties. For the Church has avariety of activities, and her beauty of order requires a scale ofdifferent offices or states to see that these activities areexercised. Says St. Paul (Eph. 4:11, 12): "He gave (that is,appointed) some apostles, and some prophets, and other someevangelists, and other some pastors and doctors, for the perfectingof the saints."

3. States with their pertinent duties differ according tothe different activities assigned to each one. There is distinctionof states of perfection, and distinction of active duties, anddistinction of grades in each state and duty.

4. Among men who strive to cast off servitude to sin inorder to serve God in justice, we distinguish the three orders of:beginners; the proficient; the perfect.

"For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God?"
Thomas á Kempis

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"Before a man chooses his confessor, he ought to think well about it, and pray about it also; but when he has once chosen, he ought not to change, except for most urgent reasons, but put the utmost confidence in his director."
St Philip Neri

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"Though the path is plain and smooth for people of good will, those who walk it will not travel far, and will do so only with difficulty if they do not have good feet, courage, and tenacity of spirit. "
St John of the Cross, OCD - Doctor of the Church

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