Celtic Vows of the Company of Jesus

“Whoever wishes to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross each day and follow me. Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for my sake will save it.” Luke 9:23-24

The heart of the monk is a life of sacrifice. The calling of the monk is to transformation into Christ’s image. The work of the monk is service. The Cross is sacrifice; the Cross in transformation; the Cross is service. The life of the monk, then, is cruciform – cross-shaped.

The early Church took up their crosses literally. To be a Christian then was to place your life at risk. They called those who suffered for the faith “martyrs”, from the Greek word for “witness”. By their lives and deaths, they bore witness and proclaimed that Jesus is Lord. When the faith became legal, Christians journeyed to the edges of the Empire to find a way to sincerely live the Gospel. Martyrdom became monasticism.

In the Celtic world, this martyrdom was described in three ways: red, white, and green. As Celtic monks, we vow to be formed by Christ’s Cross, and to a life of sacrifice, transformation, and service. These vows form us into Christ’s image. They make all our life a witness to the Lordship of Jesus.

Red Martyrdom

“The true disciple of Christ must obey in all things…” Rule of St. Columbanus

Red recalls the blood poured out for the sake of the Gospel. Red martyrdom is our vow to give everything we have and are to Christ. Being shaped by the Cross means sacrificing our own wills and desires. It means submitting to the will of the Father. The monk grows in humility through obedience. Through the Father’s provision, the Abbot’s guidance, and the anam cara’s direction we become reflections of Christ’s humility and obedience. see Rule of Columbanus 1, 8, 9, 10

White Martyrdom

“Discipline is the most important part of the monastic rule.” Rule of St. Columbanus

White envisions the journey toward holiness through the practice of spiritual disciplines. White martyrdom is our vow to be transformed. By committing ourselves to the Company of Jesus and its practices, we create space for our lives to be converted by the work of the Holy Spirit. The practices and disciplines we share as a community shape our hearts and our wills and make our lives fertile soil in which the fruits of the Spirit can flourish. see Rule of Columbanus 2, 5, 7

Green Martyrdom

“The monk to whom, for Christ, the world is crucified, and they to the world...” Rule of St. Columbanus

Green embraces life in the Kingdom of God. Green martyrdom is our vow to hold loosely to the things of this world. This means allowing God’s vision for His creation shape the way we interact with the world around us. Through simplicity, chastity, and hospitality, we become images of Christ’s Kingdom to our neighbors and bear witness that Jesus is Lord. see Rule of Columbanus 3, 4, 6