Glorious Cross May 28
(The Crosier) observes the three vows freely and joyfully (Profile of the Congolese Crosier).
If our founder, Theodore de Celles, had had the occasion to formulate a personal “credo” about the vowed life, it would probably have been something like the following:
I believe that the vows are my response to personal encounter with the Risen Christ, who gives me absolute confidence in the Father, the inspiration to love unselfishly and the freedom to give myself completely to the Kingdom.
I believe that the vows are a “way of the Cross” through which I die to concern for my personal security, to discriminatory love and to the pursuit of my own will, all that so as to rise to the total gift of myself.
I believe that the vows put me in relationship with God as Province, Unconditional Love and Ultimate Architect of Life; they put me in relationship with the confreres through fraternal service, shared life and collegial interaction; they put me in relationship with the people of the world by solidarity, universal love and attention to their calls.
I believe that the vows evangelize me through the pursuit of continual conversion to Gospel values; they evangelize others through the reference my life makes to the Kingdom of God present in the world and through my prophetic witness that points to appropriate Kingdom behavior.
I believe that the vowed life is already the expression of a resurrected life in Christ, the fullness of which I await.
Ask the elders: they will recount marvels for you. (Luba)
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