Writing of the vows

Well I guess the most important part of the service was the Rite of Profession. It is during this rite that I acknowledge my intentions and ask to become a Sister of the Cross and Passion. 

I then read my vows, that I have written towards the altar, to publicly declare my intentions. It is these vows that I hold dear, that i look to, for guidance, living out in model and support to live them. I’m sorry to say that I will not write my vows here on the blog. Yet I will write a little more meaning about how I came to my vows. 

We take three vows, Obedience, Chastity and Poverty. While I would say a lot of people hold institutionalised views of what they mean, its important to know that for each person they are different, the vows I spoke, wrote will be different in three years time when I take my final vows. Rightfully so, after all we are on the journey of growth, development and transformation. 

OBEDIENCE

While typically the common image of obedience is that to your ‘mother superior’. Obedience is far from this, and is actually a great gift that I feel everyone should take. Its about been committed to always living openly attentively listening to the will of the Lord. This is done through deepening awareness of true self and self in relation to the Lord. 

We, christians, talk about the gift of discernment to internalise the will of the Lord creating natural outward flow. By doing this we embrace the development and process to become fully the person the Lord calls me to be. 

For me, I would day that its only by functioning out of the relation of true self and the Lord, in alinement with mutual collaboration with community and congregation, will I be able to discern alternative ways to empower the disenfranchised and marginalised just as Jesus did. 

So in short, obedience has nothing to do with taking orders, or summiting oneself to what individuals in the congregation say. Rather its a gift, a beautiful realisation that by listening to the Lords will, along with having dialogue with those around you, that we give ourselves over to listening, to prayer, to hearing and then acting. Its through these that we grow in awareness and faithfulness. 

CHASTITY

This was for me the easiest of the vows, maybe as I have confronted and deeply set myself into the vow of Chastity. Its about consciously living in accordance to life’s movements. By doing this it brings forth a response to live from a foundation of the Lords love that keeps transforming. There is a great gift here, one of calling into account self awareness and passionate desire to be connected to the whole universe the Lord has created. Living in kinship of wholeness and inclusive love in view of communion for the reign of God. All while responding to the call to love one another as Jesus loved. This love is expressed through the pouring out as prophetic acts of witness. 

Where my journey has been, the conversations, encounters and experiences have brought shining rays through this vow. Its hard to limit into worlds the depth and meaning behind living in this way. 

POVERTY 

This vow is another one that is often misguided by media, or pre conceived notions. For me, looking at different orders, different eras in time, different countries, the poverty vow is lived different around the world to a degree. For me its about living a life of sustainability in terms of resources that are gifted through creation. Its knowing that every being is moving towards wholeness. While embracing the rhythm of life, emptying myself of attachments ensuring my centre is focused on Christ. 

Seeking which gives pure fulfilment from the Lord with outflow of living simply in solidarity of joy, love and out of that love for the Lord and others, allows my hands to be open to given generously. It is by this empowering others through modelling of letting go of possessions and attachments that the vow of poverty comes into its fullness. 

SO that is the vows, like I said above these are not the words I spoke yet my words are taken from these. I was blessed with a few days retreat to focus myself and allow myself to write with depth, meaning and affirmation to what I publicly declared.

For now this is all I am going in detail from my profession. I am currently placing together the video which I will send links to all to watch. 

Its hard to believe we are second week of lent, I look forward to writing a few blogs about this season, about some of the more personal aspects of the profession that taught me more about life, about myself. Until next time... peace....