Evangelical counsels

The Evangelical Counsels (Latin consilia evangelica ) are in the gospel advice that Jesus Christ gave to those who, as described in Matthew 19:16 EU, " be perfect " wanted. However, their compliance is for Christians not necessary to obtain eternal life. The evangelical counsels are based on the teaching and example of Christ and are a gift from God, who calls the faithful in a special manner.

In particular, people who are looking for a consecrated life decide ( religious men and women, hermits, consecrated virgins, members of secular institutes ) are committed to their vows or promises to a life according to the evangelical counsels:

The three evangelical counsels are sometimes referred to as a Franciscan virtues. This goes back to a legend of St. Francis of Assisi, on a path to Sienna three women met, allegorical personifications of poverty, chastity and obedience.

The view of the evangelical counsels according to the Second Vatican Council

The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) has " broken bottleneck" since the Middle Ages to the present prevailing. However, a new view of the evangelical counsels is by only hesitantly. While the traditional scheme " following the pericope of the rich young man (Mt 19,17.21 ) a two -fold path of the Christian life: the way of the commandments and the way of councils' different and only the last path was seen as a way of perfection, of course the Second Vatican Council in lumen Gentium, the evangelical counsels as " instructions for all Christe " n

The starting point here is the universal call to holiness:

" In the Church Therefore all, they may belong to the hierarchy or are cared for by it, is called to holiness [ ...] [ holiness ], it expresses varied from in the individual, other people and their way of life to the perfection of love in the edification strive for. A word from the way it appears in the practice of so-called evangelical counsels. This on of the Holy Spirit privately or in a language accepted by many Christians of the Church of life, a stand, exercise accepted the councils are in the world an outstanding witness and example of holiness and must give it. "

" All Christian faithful are therefore invited and committed to the pursuit of holiness and their corresponding level of perfection. All must therefore conduct their will drive properly, as not to be hindered in dealing with things of the world and by the attachment to the riches against the spirit of evangelical poverty in the pursuit of perfect love. " "

Accordingly, the distinction between the commandments and the councils is indeed based on the perfection of charity in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, but in cross- ways:

" The commandments are out of the way, which can not be reconciled with the love. The aim of the councils is to fix what can inhibit the development of love, even if it does not violate them. "

The profession of the evangelical counsels founded after the Second Vatican Council, the state of consecrated life.