"To publicly state that this is where I wish to live my life and these are people I wish to live my life with makes all the difference. "
Why a Public Commitment?
"At our last prayer meeting on January 24th, The People of Hope received seven new Publicly Committed members. Other than now having the right to vote, their day to day lives will be very much like they were before they made their commitment. One may ask, then why make a commitment? Part of the answer can be found in Ralph Waldo Emerson famous quote, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey”. Indeed, the journey of the years spent trying to discern if God is calling me to community by appropriating community teachings, participating in community gatherings, being part of a small group, offering hospitality, being generous with one’s time and financial resources, and giving and receiving support is in itself already living out our commitment.
However, it is about more than just the journey. To publicly state that this is where I wish to live my life and these are people I wish to live my life with makes all the difference. By making a Public Commitment I’m saying that I’m no longer hedging my bet and despite whatever may come our way I’m committed to making our life together work not just for my benefit but for the benefit of all my brothers and sisters. Therefore, the Public Commitment I make today is also a commitment to the future generations of the community and a commitment to continue the mission to which God has called us. May our heavenly Father continue to gives us the grace to remain faithful to Him and one another.
Congratulations, to Justin, Delphine, Mark, Anne, James, Danielle, and Fr. John. We are so blessed by your commitment and in turn commit ourselves to you."
- Marty Buganski, Senior Coordinator of the People of Hope
As mentioned above by Marty, seven public commitments were made on January 24th. There was a brief sharing by Joy & Jon, a publicly committed couple, reminding the prayer meeting attendees about what a public commitment is and the importance of it in those of the People of Hope. Then, the seven members came up and read their commitment statements followed by brief reflections of gratitude & excitement about this commitment. This time was ended by a brief prayer for these new publicly committed members.
The Covenant of The People of Hope
Preface
God is inviting us to know, love and serve him in the Catholic Church in a special way, as members of The People of Hope. The People of Hope, a Catholic,
Charismatic, Covenant Community is a private association of the faithful whose statutes have been recognized by the Archdiocese of Newark. The People of Hope, as a community, has a relationship with the Sword of the Spirit (an ecumenical federation of communities) and other Catholics and Catholics communities forming Christ the King Association.
Responding to God’s call, we bind ourselves together in love to serve our Lord and one another. We commit ourselves and our resources to assist in the work of evangelization, community building, and renewal of faith in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The commitment we make in The People of Hope does not necessarily imply for everyone a life-long commitment to being a part of the association, although such a change would be undertaken only with serious prayer and counsel. It is then with deep joy and gratitude, realizing the overwhelming goodness of God in giving us this opportunity that we enter into the covenant the Lord is making with us and express
acceptance of it publicly as individuals and as a community.
The Covenant
In order to respond to God’s invitation and to the mission He has for us in the Catholic Church and in the world, we desire to give our whole lives to Him, to follow our Lord Jesus Christ, and to live more and more fully in the Holy Spirit. We desire to grow in our knowledge and love of Him through lives of daily prayer, frequent study of His word, and regular participation in the Eucharist. We desire to be obedient to the word He speaks to us in the scripture and through the teaching of the Catholic Church.
We promise to offer hospitality to those He sends us and to widen our hearts to receive those He adds to our number. We promise to carry out faithfully the mission He entrusts to us as members of The People of Hope. Above all we desire to grow by His great mercy in the fervor of that “first love” He has given us. We desire to consecrate our lives to Him not simply as individuals, but as members of The People of Hope.
To be truly a community, we know that we need to serve and care for our brothers and sisters in The People of Hope. We need to understand and accept all those things that make our life of unity possible. We know that we need to support and respect the pattern and order of our life together in the association and to meet when it meets. We need to know and support the life and the mission of The People of Hope with our material and financial resources. All of this is to simply take responsibility for one another, for our way of life and for the mission of The People of Hope.
Finally, we want to give ourselves to Him completely and follow Him wherever He may lead.
Statement of Covenant Commitment
As a sign of our acceptance of the covenant the Lord is offering to us, and as an indication of our willingness to enter it, the following response should be made.
“I want to give my life to God and live as a member of The People of Hope."
Congratulations to all those who made their public commitments on January 24th! We are so full of joy for you in this commitment. Thank you for your faithful & generous yes to the Lord in your life and following His lead in this new commitment to Him and your brother & sisters in the People of Hope!
Want to read more about the examples of others can inspire us in our commitment to follow Christ? You might like Laura Greey's article "My Friends the Saints," a beautiful reflection on All Saints' Day.