The Oaken Oath: Aniwim
Last night Jason and Heather took the vows (the Oaken Oath), thus completing the original six Abbey-dwellers' ceremonies. Once again, there was a joyous and vibrant spirit among us as they told of their saint-of-choice and we witnessed their vows and prayed over them. Here is the 2nd of the 4 "legs" of the the Oath:
*As an inseparable part of our devotion to God, we commit to a life as Anawim.
Anawim is the Hebrew concept of “the lowly ones,” or “the groaning ones.” Jesus expounds upon this Old Testament concept in His Beattitudes, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
We believe in dedicating ourselves to a spirit of meekness, living as the poor of God, in total dependence on Him.
We commit to living simply and humbly, seeking first the Kingdom of God and remaining unencumbered by excessive possessions.
We commit to living in a spirit of humility, through unnoticed actions in a life of service to others. To lead a simple life that prioritizes people. We struggle to place the needs of others before our own selfish desires.
We unite ourselves with poor, oppressed, and marginalized peoples, befriending and learning from them, standing in unity as we eat, drink, and commune together.
We value children, recognizing that they have much to teach us, and living humbly as examples of Christ’s love for all people so that they will live on in that kind of love for others.
We resist the natural urge to coddle insiders and strive to prioritize our time with outsiders to the faith.
We practice contentment, thankful for work and expressing creativity as co-creators with God.
We value and participate in the local economy, as caretakers of this Earth and its peoples.
We commit to a life of intercession and groaning for the poor in spirit, being a voice for the voiceless, an advocate for freedom and justice.
I bind to myself this day and for all my days a vow to be Aniwim.
ALL: May God preserve and empower you according to His pleasure.
*As an inseparable part of our devotion to God, we commit to a life as Anawim.
Anawim is the Hebrew concept of “the lowly ones,” or “the groaning ones.” Jesus expounds upon this Old Testament concept in His Beattitudes, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
We believe in dedicating ourselves to a spirit of meekness, living as the poor of God, in total dependence on Him.
We commit to living simply and humbly, seeking first the Kingdom of God and remaining unencumbered by excessive possessions.
We commit to living in a spirit of humility, through unnoticed actions in a life of service to others. To lead a simple life that prioritizes people. We struggle to place the needs of others before our own selfish desires.
We unite ourselves with poor, oppressed, and marginalized peoples, befriending and learning from them, standing in unity as we eat, drink, and commune together.
We value children, recognizing that they have much to teach us, and living humbly as examples of Christ’s love for all people so that they will live on in that kind of love for others.
We resist the natural urge to coddle insiders and strive to prioritize our time with outsiders to the faith.
We practice contentment, thankful for work and expressing creativity as co-creators with God.
We value and participate in the local economy, as caretakers of this Earth and its peoples.
We commit to a life of intercession and groaning for the poor in spirit, being a voice for the voiceless, an advocate for freedom and justice.
I bind to myself this day and for all my days a vow to be Aniwim.
ALL: May God preserve and empower you according to His pleasure.
