ad them to the attainment of such perfection as weak
mortals, with God's grace, can hope to acquire in this life. In
response to Christ's exhortations, we find throughout the world to-day
a great army of religious men and women, white-robed Dominicans,
brown-garbed Franciscans, followers of St. Benedict, St. Augustine,
St. Alphonsus, St. Vincent de Paul, and St. De la Salle, the Blessed
Madeleine Sophie Barat, Julie Billiart, Jean Eudes, and of numerous
other saints, who, under the standards of their varied institutes,
march steadily in the footprints of the lowly Nazarene, Who had not
whereon to lay His head.

The ambitious Christian boy and girl, then, will aim at doing their
best, and must, if they desire close companionship with Christ, strive
after perfection, for such is the Master's desire. But should a youth
have further ambitions, and say to himself, "I desire to distinguish
myself in God's service, to lead for Him a life of action and
achievement, wherein my exertions will bring amplest returns for
eternity," will he refuse to consider the life of the counsels? Will
he not rather ask himself whether this manner of life is practicable,
and possibly even meant and intended for him? Choose then, my young
friend, your sphere of life but deliberately and carefully,
remembering that on your decision will largely depend your greater
happiness in this world and the next.

CHAPTER IV

WHO ARE INVITED?

The boy or girl who is deliberating on a future career will naturally
ask, "Who are invited to the higher life? Is the invitation extended
to all, or limited to the chosen few?"

Let us try to find out the answer to these questions. One day the
disciples of Our Lord having asked Him (Matt. xix: 11-12) whether it
were not better to abstain from marriage, He replied, "All men take
not this word, but they to whom it is given. . . . He that can take
it, let him take it." St. Paul also writes to the Corinthians (I Cor.
vii: 7-8), "I wish you all to be as myself, . . . but I say to the
unmarried . . . it is good for them, if they so continue, even as I."

Now, let us examine these passages, according to the interpretations
of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, so that there will be no
danger of reading a wrong meaning into them. There is question in both
texts of abstaining from marriage, of advising the unmarried not to
marry, which, of course, is equivalent to advising them to practice
perpetual chastity. St.