All week, I have been thinking of a marriage metaphor for my journey here with the Gregorian Friars. One of the life professed Brothers talked about his self awareness on Monday, then we had Lectio - I focused on the portion of counting the cost. Now it is time. Tomorrow, I will kneel before the Minister General and he will ask me, in the presence of God and the community.
Do I want to do this?
All I can think of tonight, is how full my heart is of joy and how much this is going to stretch me in ways I have not even thought of yet. Twenty five years ago, this week, I made some other promises to God and my wife. I fulfilled them, and now I am faced with some more. This has to be an intentional, thoughtful choice, not done lightly or with disregard to the meanings of what is being done.
all my congratulations. i was with you in spirit even though i could not be present in the flesh.
if you look at the rite carefully, you'll notice that postulants are not asked to make any promises. in part, this is because you can't promise what you don't know.
this would be a good way to think about the purpose of postulancy--not to think about life profession, but instead to think about the promise a new novice is asked to make. one step at a time and all that!
Posted by: thomas bushnell, bsg | July 26, 2008 at 02:26 PM
O Lord Jesus Christ, you became poor for our sake, that we might be made rich through your poverty: Guide and sanctify, we pray, those whom you call to follow you under the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, that by their prayer and service they may enrich your Church, and by their life and worship may glorify your Name; for you reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Posted by: Jared Cramer | July 25, 2008 at 08:24 AM