Franciscan Focus

Just a simple blog of a Secular Franciscan trying to live with a Franciscan focus.
(And one of these days I'll fix the template and add a Search feature. :-P)

15 June 2006

I can't believe I'm professed! 

Here in the US, we have these schlocky TV commercials for a margarine called (not kidding!) "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!", in which folks bite into a piece of margarine-slathered bread (or whatnot) and happily exclaim, "I can't believe it's not butter!" Similar to that (but less fattening), ever since my permanent Profession last month, I keep thinking, "I can't believe I'm professed!" :-D

And what a profession it was! I was smilin' so much through the day that my face started to ache, and I got all sniffly more than once during the Mass. Because I was so happy and "floaty" and excited, my thoughts and memories of the day are in a similar format, so please bear with my meandering babble about it all ...

During the Day

Was nervous (in a good way) and excited all day ... cleaned and tidied our home 'cause my mom was gonna stay overnight with us after the reception ... did a lot of praying ... forced myself to eat breakfast, even tho' I wasn't hungry ... tried to do some work on my parish's web site that mornin' but struggled with some technical glitches, got frustrated and gave up ...

Before the Profession Mass

Mass was set for 7 p.m. and we (us to-be-professed candidates (novices), 3 total) had to get there early, 'round 6:30. So, To Be Absolutely Safe, Husband Mike, me, and my mom got there at about 6:10ish ... had mishaps and mayhem trying to get our danged corsages pinned on (nervous Franciscans + sharp pointy pins = not a good idea) ... lots of hugging and smiles ... many sniffle attacks but as I was actually wearing eye makeup (!!), I forced myself to not give in to actual crying ... lots of anxious pacing ... some flustered confusion as we lined up for the procession:

Regional Minister ("minister" is our term for "superior"): "The Formation Director has to lead the procession."

Formation Director: "But it says here that the Formation Director follows so-and-so!"

RM: "No, you're supposed to be at the front."

FD: "But ..."

RM: "You've gotta lead."

FD: "Sigh."

... eventually pulled ourselves into a respectable configuration ...

The Mass

Loud, boisterous singing (hey, we're Franciscans!) of the processional hymn, All Creatures of Our God and King ... loooong homily, in which Father said something about Emperor penguins (?) ... Sue (another novice) and I grabbed each others' hands every so often out of nervous excitement ... reciting the Litany of Franciscan Saints ... being called forward individually to kneel down in front of our minister (again, "minister" is our term for "superior"), and say our profession promise while she held our hands in hers:

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.

... managed NOT to loose it while saying the promise ... lots of hugs afterwards from the Professed brothers and sisters ... more sniffles ... being in a happy haze for the rest of the Mass ... pictures and hugs afterwards ...

At the Reception

Lots and lots and lots of hugs, smiles, sniffles, pictures ... was too nervous to really eat much of the food, but forced myself to eat a piece of the WAY tasty cake:

Cake sez: 'Many Blessings Lisa, Ernest, Susan'
Cake sez: "Many Blessings Lisa, Ernest, Susan"

... felt like I had a flurry of feather dusters tickling my insides all evening (an' still do!) ... since the food at the reception was munchie-type stuff, Husband Mike and I took my mom and a few other folks out to eat afterward ... wasn't able to fall asleep for quite awhile that night.

Aaaaaand Thus Concludes my scatter-brained account; hope it made some sort of sense.

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1 Comments:

Blogger Bego said...

you're scattered and smothered (like the hash "browns" at waffle house).

scattered as in go proclaim the gospel everywhere!

and smothered with graces and love!

16 June, 2006 07:02  

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