Monday, January 08, 2007

On January 1st, I took a vow. NOT the one I'm readying myself to take on Feburary 10th(my Wedding date).The Vow I pledged to keep on January 1st was The Vow of Non-Violence.
It took place at my Mom's church-- St. Jude The Apostle Catholic Church, in the Atlanta area. It's a church that has become a sort of "home away from home", in terms of where I have found the ability to serve others, and to feel more connected to God. Although I am certainly not able to be a spokesperson for the Catholic Church, I can tell you that joining Pax Christi(literal translation is: Peace Christ)has been transformative for me, particularly in terms of WALKING with Peace, rather than merely discussing it.

This organization honors World Peace Day(Jan. 1st) EVERY year, and every years, millions take the Vow-- or Pledge--of Non-Violence.
The vow is a promise to keep Peace in your heart, for one year....

Here is the COMPLETE VOW, and information on how to take the Pledge, below.
May God Bless All Of You For Reading and Meditating on this!!!



VOW OF NONVIOLENCE


RECOGNIZING THE VIOLENCE IN MY OWN HEART, yet trusting in the goodness and mercy of God, I vow for one year to practice the nonviolence of Jesus who taught us in the Sermon on the Mount:

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons and daughters of God...You have learned how it was said, "You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy"; but I say to you, "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. In this way, you will be daughters and sons of your Creator in heaven."

Before God the Creator and the Sanctifying Spirit, I vow to carry out in my life the love and example of Jesus

by striving for peace within myself and seeking to be a peacemaker in my daily life;

by accepting suffering rather than inflicting it;

by refusing to retaliate in the face of provocation and violence;

by persevering in nonviolence of tongue and heart;

by living conscientiously and simply so that I do not deprive others of the means to live;

by actively resisting evil and working nonviolently to abolish war and the causes of war from my own heart and from the face of the earth.

God, I trust in Your sustaining love and believe that just as You gave me the grace and desire to offer this, so You will also bestow abundant grace to fulfill it.

After reading and reflecting on the Vow of Nonviolence, people often commit themselves to trying to follow it daily for a year. If a group of people is committing to the vow, a ceremony can be planned. We invite all who take the vow to sign the following commitment statement and return it to us at Pax Christi USA, 532 West 8th Street, Erie, PA 16502 or at info@paxchristiusa.org


I commit myself to living according to the Vow of Nonviolence for a one year period.

Signature ___________________________________________________________

Name (Print) ________________________________________________________

Street ______________________________________________________________

City __________________________________ State ___________ Zip _________

Date _______________________________________________________________

No comments: