Can Someone be Called to be Single?

Today we focus on our 2nd Reading from Chapter 7 of St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians. There he says some very counter-cultural things. He talks about marriage as not merely a natural good but a real charism (grace) and call from God. And, perhaps more counter-culturally, he talks about the celibate single life as a real charism (grace) and call from God. Most surprisingly of all, he says that he prefers the single life to the married life and says earlier in this chapter that he wishes "all would be as I am" (i.e. single). In this homily we talk about the unique gift of the single, celibate state and how we must adjust our mindset in order to be conformed to the Gospel.