The love that unites us

In a few days' time I will celebrate ten years since making my perpetual profession of vows. I know it's hardly anything compared with golden and diamond jubilees, but it still feels like quite a milestone! It has also given me a lot to reflect on: memories of the day and gratitude for all those who were part of the journey, most certainly; but especially an opportunity to look back on the last ten years, their ups and downs, graces and lessons, and re-commit myself to the present and to the journey to come. And to re-commit myself in the same spirit in which I made my vows: freely, gladly, not knowing the exact how, what or where, but desiring to be open to whatever may be...

At profession we are given a cross and ring, and in the time leading up to the ceremony I had prayed with the words said as they are given to us. So this morning I dug out my Mass booklet and reminded myself of those words, so eloquent and full of meaning in their simplicity...

Receive this cross, symbol of the tender and faithful love of God for you.

Receive this ring, symbol of the love that unites you to Jesus Christ, sign of your desire to live in union and conformity with his Heart.

The love that unites... In Italian a wedding ring is called a fede - literally faith; in French it's an alliance, alianza in Spanish - all words denoting fidelity, union, commitment. An alliance is a covenant; both a pledge of fidelity and its lived-out fulfilment. And that, really, is the love that unites us: the tender, faithful love of God, and of Jesus, whose strong and constant commitment to me has seen me through some rough patches, brought me untold joy in times of plenty, and, for the most part, just been there, often unheralded but never unappreciated. A love which always, ALWAYS, keeps covenant with me, and gently yet insistently calls me into deeper covenant with him. And it's this tender, faithful love which is my assurance for the future and whatever lies ahead...