Twentyfour/seven Vows On The Shore

A friend, accompanied by six fellow workers from the Twentyfour/seven prayer movement, stayed with us. Our privilege was to accompany them to the north shore and witness his vows. The first was a life vow, similar to that made in the nineteenth century by Count Zinzendorf's mustard seed prayer movement. It begins 'Fool that I am, I vow my whole life, all that I have and all that I am to be true to Christ....'. It continues 'Weak as I am, I vow my whole life to be kind to people ...'. The third vow is 'Small as I am and wherever I am, I vow my life to the Gospel of Christ. Today I offer to spend myself on behalf of the broken and poor in the power of the Spirit, giving my whole life that you may be loved in every language, tribe and nation in our generation ...'

He then took a five year vow he had worked out with a soul friend that was particular to him. We then broke bread and prayed. I was asked to say these words: 'Dear cymbrogi, friends of N., today N. has made these promises but there will come a day when he fails. In these moments he invites us to remember to restore him humbly, lovingly and gently in grace.'

My friend gave us each a sheet of paper with some quotes: 'Vow: A promise made to God. The promise is binding. A vow is an act of generosity towards God.' (Catholic encycyclopaedia). 'Community is a fellowship of little people who together make God visible to the world'. (Henri Nouwen). 'At the eve of our lives we will be judged by our loving.' (John of the Cross). 'Let us begin, my brothers, for up to now we have done but little' (the last words of St. Francis of Assissi).