|
Objection 1: It would seem that no one ought to induce others to
enter religion. For the blessed Benedict prescribes in his Rule
(lviii) that "those who seek to enter religion must not easily be
admitted, but spirits must be tested whether they be of God"; and
Cassian has the same instruction (De Inst. Caenob. iv, 3).
Much less therefore is it lawful to induce anyone to enter religion.
Objection 2: Further, our Lord said (Mt. 23:15): "Woe
to you . . . because you go round about the sea and the land to make
one proselyte, and when he is made you make him the child of hell
twofold more than yourselves." Now thus would seem to do those who
induce persons to enter religion. Therefore this would seem
blameworthy.
Objection 3: Further, no one should induce another to do what is to
his prejudice. But those who are induced to enter religion, sometimes
take harm therefrom, for sometimes they are under obligation to enter a
stricter religion. Therefore it would not seem praiseworthy to induce
others to enter religion.
On the contrary, It is written (Ex. 26:3, seqq.): "Let
one curtain draw the other." Therefore one man should draw another to
God's service.
I answer that, Those who induce others to enter religion not only do
not sin, but merit a great reward. For it is written (James
5:20): "He who causeth a sinner to be converted from the error
of his way, shall save his soul from death, and shall cover a
multitude of sins"; and (Dan. 12:3): "They that instruct
many to justice shall be as stars for all eternity."
Nevertheless such inducement may be affected by a threefold
inordinateness. First, if one person force another by violence to
enter religion: and this is forbidden in the Decretals (XX, qu.
iii, cap. Praesens). Secondly, if one person persuade another
simoniacally to enter religion, by giving him presents: and this is
forbidden in the Decretal (I, qu. ii, cap. Quam pio). But
this does not apply to the case where one provides a poor person with
necessaries by educating him in the world for the religious life; or
when without any compact one gives a person little presents for the sake
of good fellowship. Thirdly, if one person entices another by lies:
for it is to be feared that the person thus enticed may turn back on
finding himself deceived, and thus "the last state of that man" may
become "worse than the first" (Lk. 11:26).
Reply to Objection 1: Those who are induced to enter religion have
still a time of probation wherein they make a trial of the hardships of
religion, so that they are not easily admitted to the religious life.
Reply to Objection 2: According to Hilary (Can. xxiv in
Matth.) this saying of our Lord was a forecast of the wicked
endeavors of the Jews, after the preaching of Christ, to draw
Gentiles or even Christians to observe the Jewish ritual, thereby
making them doubly children of hell, because, to wit, they were not
forgiven the former sins which they committed while adherents of
Judaism, and furthermore they incurred the guilt of Jewish perfidy;
and thus interpreted these words have nothing to do with the case in
point.
According to Jerome, however, in his commentary on this passage of
Matthew, the reference is to the Jews even at the time when it was
yet lawful to keep the legal observances, in so far as he whom they
converted to Judaism "from paganism, was merely misled; but when he
saw the wickedness of his teachers, he returned to his vomit, and
becoming a pagan deserved greater punishment for his treachery."
Hence it is manifest that it is not blameworthy to draw others to the
service of God or to the religious life, but only when one gives a bad
example to the person converted, whence he becomes worse.
Reply to Objection 3: The lesser is included in the greater.
Wherefore a person who is bound by vow or oath to enter a lesser
order, may be lawfully induced to enter a greater one. unless there be
some special obstacle, such as ill-health, or the hope of making
greater progress in the lesser order. On the other hand, one who is
bound by vow or oath to enter a greater order, cannot be lawfully
induced to enter a lesser order, except for some special and evident
motive, and then with the superior's dispensation.
|
|