|
Sermon Given on the Occasion of a Solemn Profession
On October 6th,
2001, a student for the Irish Province made his Solemn Profession. In the
context of Carmelite life, Solemn Profession marks the end of initial
formation and the point of total commitment of the religious to God. Up to
now, the religious has been discerning his vocation, but now he is ready to
commit himself for life to the daily living out of the vows of poverty,
obedience and chastity to the praise and glory of God and for the good of
the Church. In the secular world, the nearest equivalent ceremony to Solemn
Profession is marriage.
The following is
the text of the sermon preached by the Prior Provincial, V. Rev. F. Burke,
O.Carm., during the Solemn Profession liturgy.
Brother, today you make a life
commitment to the Carmelite Order. Undoubtedly you may be experiencing some
fear and apprehension. Anyone who would come to a ceremony like this without
some fear and great soul-searching has not realised what a life commitment
is about.
You have been with us for five years.
We know you with your strengths and failings. You know us, with our
strengths and failings. But put aside your fears. You are responding to
God’s call which is his gift to you. We, the Carmelites, thank God for your
vocation and for enriching the Order with the life commitment you make to us
today. God has chosen you and called you to life in Carmel. Never doubt the
sincerity of heart and soul you bring to the commitment you are about to
make.
In our second reading today,[1]
Paul reminded Timothy that he had been entrusted to look after something
precious, he is to guard is with his life. The Carmelites have been
entrusted to look after something special, namely, the charism of our Order.
A charism is a gift from God to the church for the world. The Carmelite
charism does not belong to us. We are stewards of our charism and we have a
duty to pass it on to future generations and to share it with the people
among whom we live.
This has been happening for almost 800
years and we confidently believe that it will continue to happen into the
future, perhaps stronger elsewhere than in Northern Europe. The recent
General Chapter of our Order observed with great joy the expansion of the
Order in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe.
The core value of the Carmelite
charism is contemplation. Contemplation understood as an intimate
relationship with God in Jesus Christ. A relationship which overflows into a
prayerful and fraternal life in which we seek to serve our neighbour.
Contemplation calls us to be intimate friends with God and to allow that
friendship with God to influence and shape how we live our lives.
The great models we have for our
Carmelite life are Mary, our Mother and Sister, and the Prophet Elijah. The
example of the great Carmelite Saints, John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila,
Thérèse of Lisieux, Edith Stein (Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), Titus
Brandsma and many others also inspires us.
Like Mary pondering the word of God in
her heart and inspired by Elijah’s example, Carmelites seek the presence of
God within themselves and help others to discover the same presence in their
own lives. We are children of this world; we share the joy and hope, grief
and anguish of our times. In this world we walk humbly side by side with our
brothers and sisters, attentively seeking to recognise the hidden signs of
God’s presence and work.
As you know, we are officially known
as “The Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel.” We are not
alone on our pilgrimage of life and faith. Mary, our Sister, walks with us
and encourages us as Mother and Teacher. Mary, by her example, continually
shows us how to ponder over everything that happens to us so that we can
discern the presence of God in our individual and communal lives. She had
the closest possible relationship with Jesus and encourages us to stay close
to Him.
We stay close to Him in the daily
celebration of the Eucharist, the sacrament of our brotherhood, in the
celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours, where together with the whole
church we praise God. And by our personal prayer.
The Prophet Elijah is also an
inspiration to all Carmelites. Elijah speaks the motto of our Order in
today’s reading[2]
from the Book of Kings: “I am filled with jealous zeal for Yahweh.” Elijah,
the fiery prophet, meets God in the silence of the gentle breeze but also in
his prophetic activity. Elijah fearlessly denounces injustice and points out
the emptiness and futility of false gods. Service of the Gospel of justice
and peace is an integral part of our Carmelite charism.
The call to community is central to
our way of life. While our Rule puts great emphasis on private space
and each friar having his own cell, it also calls us to leave our personal
space and to come to community. Fraternity involves companionship.
Fraternity demands we must be attentive and caring towards those with whom
we live. We must strive to achieve open and honest dialogue with each other.
We must be genuinely concerned for the physical, psychological and spiritual
well being of one another. We must be present to one another, sharing meals
as well as prayers, recreation as well as work.
Today, brother, you say “Yes” to God
as He calls you to a vowed and consecrated life. The Lord’s reassuring words
addressed to the apostle Paul are addressed to you today: “My grace is
enough for you, my power is at its best in weakness.” God is calling you to
love and serve Him in a religious community, that is, together with others
whose way of life, ideals and aspirations you will make your own.
Make the gift of yourself to God and
to your Carmelite brothers freely and wholeheartedly. Throw in your lot with
us. May your lifelong journey to Carmel be adventurous, fulfilling and
enriching. May you hear God’s call afresh each day and respond with courage
and generosity.
[1]
2Timothy 1:6-9a, 13-14: “I am reminding you now to fan into a flame
the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift
was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power and love, and
self-control. You are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord,
or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the
hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God
who has saved us and called us to be holy.
Keep as your pattern the sound teaching you have
heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. You
have been trusted to look after something precious; guard it with
the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”
[2]
1Kings 19:9b-15a: “There Elijah went into the cave and spent the
night in it. Then the word of Yahweh came to him saying, ‘What are
you doing here, Elijah?’ He replied, ‘I am filled with jealous zeal
for Yahweh Sabaoth, because the sons of Israel have deserted you,
broken down your altars and put your prophets to the sword. I am the
only one left, and they want to kill me.’ Then he was told, ‘Go out
and stand on the mountain before Yahweh.’ Then Yahweh himself went
by. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the mountains and
shattered the rocks before Yahweh. But Yahweh was not in the wind.
After the wind came an earthquake. But Yahweh was not in the
earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. But Yahweh was not in
the fire. And after the fire there came the sound of a gentle
breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with his
cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a
voice came to him, which said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He
replied, ‘I am filled with jealous zeal for Yahweh Sabaoth, because
the sons of Israel have deserted you, broken down your altars and
put your prophets to the sword. I am the only one left and they want
to kill me.’
‘Go,’ Yahweh said, ‘go back by the same way to the
wilderness of Damascus.’”
|
