My Heart Is Ready: Profession of Solemn Vows

Pure Joy. Deep Peace. Wonder and Awe. 

God’s Generous Love. Much Goodness. Holy Spirit Present. 

Held by the Saints. Surrounded by Holiness. A New Chapter. 

Gift. Humbled. Hope. 

Fraternity and Community. True Celebration. Powerful. 

Jesus – Emmanuel – God With Us. Family. Sacred Bonds. 

Past – Present – Future. Lesser Brother. Gospel Life Awakened. 

Honest. Challenging and Rewarding. Amazed. 

Grateful. Woven into my History. We are God’s Vessels. 

Voices Raised in Praise. Power of Prayer. Impacting. 

Here and Now. Walk with St. Francis. God Blessed Big Time.

My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready. - Psalm 57.7

For the past few days I have been trying to find the right words to describe the experience of making my Solemn Profession. The above list seems to best capture the events leading up to, the ceremony itself and the immediate events after my Profession of Solemn Vows on August 23. I continue to let these statements take hold of my heart. I will continue to allow them shape my life as Solemnly Professed Friar (and if I forget, you may remind me.)

Over the next few posts I will share some more insights from the celebration. I will speak of scripture, music, people and the vows themselves. For now I leave you with some final thoughts I shared that evening.

St. Francis of Assisi you touch something in my depth and awaken me to the beauty of gospel living. Each day you invite me to journey with you in the footsteps of Christ. Thank you, my Brother. Pray for me. Pray for us.

St. Clare of Assisi your wisdom and light help keep me focused on Christ. You continually nudge me into knowing the depths of God’s love more. Thank you, my Sister. Pray for me. Pray for us.

Come Holy Spirit and renew the face of the earth and renew us.

This journey began with a question “Why the heck aren’t you a Friar?” In that moment of wonder and awe; of stunned silence; of my heart doing flips, my vocation was brought to light. God works in beautiful, unique and mysterious ways. I am in awe of how our Emmanuel – God With Us - continues to awaken us to the depths of love, the power of charity, certain hope, true faith and the gift of another and all of creation.

To God all praise and glory is due! To Christ all praise and glory is due!

To the Holy Spirit all praise and glory is due!

To our Triune God my life is full of thanksgiving!

To God I offer you my heart each day and say:

“My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready!”

Thank you for journeying with me to my Solemn Vows, 

let us continue the journey from here for as St. Francis once said, 

"up to now we have done very little."

Thank You for your prayers and support,

I humbly ask for your continued prayers

for myself and the Franciscans in Canada.

Pilgrimage: A Lesser Brother Praising God

I’ve been home from my pilgrimage for just over a month now. There has been a lot going on in this month (moving, travel, planning, ministry) and in this fullness, I have been reflecting on the pilgrimage that was and the pilgrimage of life which is now unfolding. The graces of the pilgrimage in Assisi continue to speak to my heart and cause me to ponder St. Francis and his challenge to live the pattern of the gospel – to embrace the life of Christ in my daily living. The graces of the pilgrimage have allowed for me to ponder relationships and how they change and grow and invite us into the depths of who we are. I have also been pondering what it means to be a lesser brother – a friar. 

Today I was reminded of the pilgrimage that is now unfolding. My Solemn Vows are now 12 days away! Final preparations are taking shape and details are being worked out. In this excitement I pause each day to pray with the words of the vows I will profess for life. They challenge to embrace the pattern of the gospel and to embrace the way of being a lesser brother. I ponder again with St. Francis and St. Clare and their vision for living the pattern of the gospel. I ponder the gift of being a lesser brother. I’m excited for the pilgrimage that is unfolding now and look ahead with hope – Christ my all.

Before I profess my Solemn Vows I share with you a final reflection from my pilgrimage to Assisi. These thoughts came just over the midway point of the pilgrimage and they seem to capture not only the pilgrimage which was but also the one that now continues and will unfold with my Solemn Vows.

Praise be God

in all that God is,

in all which God made,

in all where God dwells. 

Praise be God

every where then,

in every heart,

in all of creation,

in silent prayer,

in communities gathered.

Praise be God

these words on my lips,

these words on my heart,

these words on my mind.

Praise be God

in all that was,

in all that is,

in all that is to come,

in all, with all, for all:

Praise be God!

Lesser Brother
Little Brother
Friar Minor

Brother Francis,
these simple descriptions are my prayer and desire. 
I too desire to live the gospel as a little brother
filled with joy and hope, 
rooted in and radiating Christ 
and his love into the world.

Help me not to be overcome
with busyness, with circumstances, 
with position or with power.

I strive to be humble, kind,
open, generous and free 
to always proclaim with my life 
the good news – the pattern of the gospel.

St. Francis… pray for me, pray for us.

Portiuncola - An Assisi Treasure

August 2 is the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Angels – the Portiuncula (Porziuncola) meaning “little portion.” This small chapel which is now situated in a large basilica was dedicated on August 2. It is considered to be the birth place of the Franciscans. It is a chapel which St. Francis repaired, where the Order of the Poor Clares began and where St. Francis died. St. Francis had a love for Mary – the Mother of God and so this chapel had a special place in his heart.

While I was on pilgrimage, I had the opportunity to pray in this small chapel, to pray around the chapel and to pray while sitting in the basilica gazing at this chapel. I pondered St. Francis and his passion and drive to fulfill the “command” he heard from Christ, “Go repair my church.” I considered that his hands had touched these very stones as did the hands of countless Friars, Poor Clares and pilgrimages all seeking to root themselves on the foundation of Christ. I thought of my journey so far as Friar and what will yet unfold and the challenge I hear in “Go repair (rebuild) my church.”

As we celebrate the Feast of the Portiuncula, I also am reminded that four years ago this day I made my first vows, vowing to live for the year ahead the Franciscan way. I have renewed these vows three times since. Now in just mere weeks I will profess my solemn vows – making my life time commitment to live as a lesser brother continuing the pilgrimage of life and rebuilding the church in the small ways I can.

As I sat and prayed at this sacred treasured place in June, I penned these thoughts.

Porziuncola

“Repair my church”

the message given from

the cross at San Damiano,

and here at the Porziuncola

Francis continued the mission.

Each stone, each rock

put properly in place

this home, this haven

this place of sending forth

under the mantel of Mother Mary.

This chapel of hope,

the vision unfolding

fraternity growing

doing what was his to do

Francis loved this little chapel.

The little portion

lessons learned and decisions made

brother unfolding the vision

place of prayer, place of rest

this chapel in the Rieti Valley.

This chapel too a place for Clare

here her journey began

she made her commitment

in tune with her Brother Francis

the chapel of light and strength.

Now we the followers of Francis and Clare

we come to this little chapel

we pause in prayer, we gaze in awe

this small mustard seed has given birth

to the way of life for those called little.

Porziuncola, sanctuary of life

your stones call out to us

they remind us of our foundation

in Christ we are built up

as our Brother Francis continues through us

stone by stone by stone.

St. Francis... pray for us.

St. Clare... pray for us.

Angels of God... pray for us.

Holy Mary Mother of God... pray for us.