Sacerdotal Retreat

The beginning of every vocation story although starts as soon as one responded is not really the beginning. Each person called to follow Jesus has been prepared for a period of time, a kind of conditioning stage in order to prepare one’s heart to the call. For some it is even before they were born (Jr 1:5), others at a very young age (1Sm 1:28), in their youthful years (1Sm 16:12); (Lk 1:38), but again for others in their already settled life (Lk 5:1-11).

For some people the call of Jesus is a radical commitment, but for some it is more or less. I think the challenge for us is to search in which category we belong. Everyone has a vocation but each vocation is unique in the sense that Jesus’ invitation to follow him is particular. I believe I am called for the consecrated life, to become a religious, a member of the Dominican Order. I have a promising career before I entered the religious life, nothing much as to material possessions, only dreams and goals which were about to be achieved and realized. It’s not out of curiosity or a mere ego satisfaction but more of searching for that which can only fulfill the emptiness gradually creeping in my heart. I found myself thirsting and longing to do something that none of my achievements and endeavors can satiate. Alas, it was a struggle and in that realization that I received the invitation to follow Him.

The mystery about the call of Jesus is that He chose us and put those whom He called together to make up a community. Although sharing the same nature of being called we are not the same. Nothing is more difficult than to live with someone whom you do not know or never like at all. We can choose our own set of friends but never have we the chance to choose our brothers. Unless one treats his brother as a friend does one may find religious life attractive and may appreciate the beauty of common life. This is the challenge we have to embrace and live each day in a community of followers chosen by Him who treats us as His friends (Jn 15:15). We will always find ourselves in disagreement but we will always be humbled by the fact that nothing is greater or lesser among us; we’re just a caretaker of each other.

This is my sacerdotal retreat, in eleven days time I will become one. The excitement overwhelms me and my imagination brings me in awe. But it is a kind of mixed emotions because along side is the feeling of doubt and fear because the future is so huge, vague and uncertain. If there is one thing I have to put in mind, it is to do the best I can to serve my purpose, to be a good and holy priest. Jesus’ chose the twelve among the seventy two to be his apostles, to be sent on a mission i.e. to preach and to be with Him. It is true that everyone has a vocation and each vocation is unique. But it is also important to know that each vocation is directed towards and always for the sake of a mission.

Every baptized Christian partakes in the priestly, prophetic and kingly ministry of Jesus, but the ordained ministers share in Christ a higher calling to fulfill these ministries: to be leaders, teachers and sanctifier. Sharing a meal today with the SVD fathers is an opportunity for me to appreciate more the beauty of religious life in general and the priesthood in particular. There are two old priests in the convent and one of them, Fr Chen who is particularly special because although his memory is starting to fail him, his innocence exudes in him joy and adoring life. It is not surprising why the younger confreres like him so much. Here is a person, a living witness on how to live and appreciate the priestly life.