A vow must be seen as a grace of God. That is why Jesus tells us, with God in our lives, we can never be fully in control of what is to happen in the future. In a hyper individualised world today, Jesus' words hit us hard.

While some might find it challenging, there is a sense of liberation in knowing that the Lord provides for all that we need to live as Christians, without needing to swear or make an oath to justify our hard effort. We cooperate with God.

The end of the vow formula a Jesuit makes when he enters the Society of Jesus, are these words, "Therefore, by Your boundless goodness and mercy, and through the blood of Jesus Christ, I humbly ask that You judge this total commitment of myself acceptable. And as You have freely given me the desire to make this offering, so also may You give me the abundant grace to fulfill it." Whilst this is exclusively for the Society of Jesus, it is a reminder too, for all Christians, to be open to the grace - desire that the Lord gives us, and equally knowing that the Lord will continue to provide the graces we need to bring our 'yes' to fruition.

In being attuned to God's invitation, we can be free from making oaths. Our way of living will be God fully alive in the world today.