Renewing the Profession Promise

Alleluia - a new year.

It's a day for resolutions. Among those we Secular Franciscans can make is to recommit to the promises we made at our profession.

That ritual includes the following:

I, N.N.,
by the grace of God,
renew my baptismal promises
and consecrate myself to the service of His Kingdom.

Therefore,
in my secular state,
(or, when appropriate: as a member of the diocesan clergy,)
I promise to live
all the days of my life
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
in the Secular Franciscan Order
by observing its Rule of life.

May the grace of the Holy Spirit,
the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary
and our holy father Saint Francis,
and the fraternal bonds of community
always be my help,
so that I may reach the goal
of perfect Christian love.

This is also the 40th anniversary of the revised Rule - a good time to reread it and reflect on all that it means and how well we are following it.

Pax et bonum