Our Commitment to live the Evangilical Counsels in the Spirit of the Beatitudes

Our commitment to live the Evangelical Counsels in the spirit of the Beatitudes reflects our calling to live in perfection in the full spirit of the Gospel, imitating  Christ in his human nature as we traverse this world in fulfillment of our individual missions as laid down to us by Jesus, when He called us to enter Carmel and live the Carmelite way of life.

The Evangelical Counsel of Chastity

Our promise of chastity reinforces our commitment to love God above all else, and to love others.

With this promise, we seek the freedom to love God and neighbor, allowing us to witness the divine intimacy promised by the beatitude "blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God" (Mt 5:8).

Our promise of chastity is our commitment to Christian love in its personal and social dimension that allows us to create an authentic community.

With this promise we expresses our conscious desire to respect each person as required by God's law and ones' state of life.

The Evangelical Counsel of Poverty

Our promise of living the evangelical counsel of poverty expresses our desire to live in accordance with the Gospel and its values. It allows us to recognize our personal limitations and surrenders it to God in full confidence of His goodness and fidelity, giving us the opportunity to gain  a wealth of generosity, self denial, interior liberty and full dependence to our Father.

With this promise, we seek an evangelical use of the goods of this world and of personal talents, confidently placing them in the hands of God as we exercise our personal responsibilities: in the society that we live-in; in our own family; and at work. It also implies our commitment to justice, for the world to respond in accordance to His plan.

The Evangelical Counsel of Obedience

The promise of obedience is our pledge to live openly in accordance to the will of God. Imitating Christ who accepted the Father's will who was obedient unto death.

With this promise, we exercise our faith that leads us in-search of God's will in all the events and challenges in the society that we lived in and in our own personal life, enabling us to freely cooperate with those who were given the responsibility to guide our community and the Order.

The Spirit of the Beatitudes

The Beatitudes becomes our plan of action in entering into a relationship with the world, our neighbors, co-workers, family and friends.

By promising to live the beatitudes in our daily lives, we seek to live as living witnesses of God's presence, as members of the Church and the Order, inviting the world to follow Christ, "the Way, the Truth and the Life" (Jn 14:6)

The Beatitudes (Mat. 5:3-10)

1. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
2. "Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted."
3. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
4. "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."
5. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
6. "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God."
7. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God."
8. "Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Resource:

• OCDS Constitution