Three times Peter was asked by Jesus whether he loved Him, and the three produced in Peter the same renewed positive answer. Likewise, more than once Peter was invited by Jesus to follow Him; and each time the invitation produced in Peter the same renewed resolution to follow his Master… The question was the same; so were the invitations. Why then such a reiteration? The explanation seems to be simple: Even though the question and the invitations were the same, yet, Peter’s mood and concrete situation each time were not the same! That is why his answers, even being the same, took each time a different tone as they touched different fibres of his heart.

On the 22nd of June 2020, nine of our brothers in Macao renewed their religious profession or vows. For six of them, it was the first time they repeated the same formula; for the other three, it was already the third time. Other renewals may follow until the last two words defining its duration are changed into “until death”. Why such repetition? Do the vows need renewal? Certainly, not; but those who renew them, yes! The Lord’s invitation to follow Him remains unchanged; the individual answers, however, acquire in each case a different tone as they touch, like in Peter’s case, different fibres of each one’s heart.

Benedito, Francisco, Luigi, Luke, Reynaldo, Mark, Cesar, Agostinho and Andre were the Dominican brothers who had their profession renewed. They did it in the hands of Bro. Paul Fan, the Prior of St Dominic’s Priory, in Macau. It was a meaningful offertory of that day’s conventual Mass. All of us present at the event were witnesses to that public, committed resolution to follow Christ praying, proclaiming the Kingdom of God and always doing the will of the Father: such is the Dominican gift, expressed in the formula “I promise obedience to God…”

Our warmest congratulations to them and all our support in their seeking for God’s mercy and ours.

By Fr. Javier González, OP.