Pillars of Seminary Life

Sunday, July 3, 2016

Called to Love "Unconditionally"



As a Fourth Year Seminarian in the initial stage of formation, I have experienced being assigned to different apostolate areas: San Vicente, Kalayaan, and Southville 8C in Montalban. I have also served in Botocan (one of APC's of PLDM - Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy) as I have lived there for two months.

Being assigned to different areas made me realized that there are two kinds of people in the area: those who love you and those who don't care for you. 



THOSE WHO LOVE YOU
These people are sweet, kind and affectionate. They are the comfort zone for every seminarian for they are deemed to be inspiring and encourage him to persevere. I am more connected to these people because I received affections that every person needs.


THOSE WHO DON’T CARE FOR YOU
These people are grumpy, demanding, mean and insensitive. They are the uncomfortable zone to every seminarian for they are deemed to be challenging. I am more distant to these people because I felt discouraged, inefficient, unimportant, failure and disappointment.

Upon hearing the homily of Fr. Restituto Audal, one of my formators, I realized an important characteristic of a missionary, A MAN OF SACRIFICE which for him has to find the lost sheep of Israel. Most lost sheep are those people who don’t care for you. Sadly speaking, I have to bear the cross of serving them even they would not repay you, ignore you, hurt you, and degrade you.

How would I be a missionary if the human tendency is to seek comfort? – Then the definition of a missionary by Saint Anthony Mary Claret would answer: “ Nothing daunts him: he delights in privations, welcomes work, embraces sacrifices, smiles at slander, rejoices in all the torments and sorrows he suffers, and glories in the cross of Jesus Christ.” One should rejoice if he is tormented, smile if slandered. That is a beautiful irony of being a true servant of the WORD because for a missionary nothing should daunt him to spread the LOVE of God.

I have to bear with the calling to become a missionary as I, too, respond to the call of loving “unconditionally.” Even though it’s hard but a missionary would always be called for transcendence as to go beyond the line of humanity.



Thursday, March 3, 2016

Halina't Sama-Sama

Halina’t sama-sama
Purihin natin Siya 
Halina’t sama-sama 
Awitan natin Siya 

Ipalakpak ang inyong kamay
Itaas at ikaway 
Lahat ay magsabing Diyos ay buhay 

Kumayaw-kayaw, sumayaw-sayaw 
Sumayaw-sayaw, kumayaw-kayaw
Kumayaw-kayaw, sumayaw-sayaw
At magpapuri sa ating Diyos

Kumayaw-kayaw, sumayaw-sayaw 
Sumayaw-sayaw, kumayaw-kayaw
Kumayaw-kayaw, sumayaw-sayaw
ng papuri

This song has been the OST of our batch. Since I had been a Freshman, we had been noted to be the leaders of such craziness in the seminary.


Monday, January 11, 2016

The Thousand Needs and Smiles of Kalayaan


“A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside.”
-Denis Waitly

I was assigned to San Vicente before and there I found fascination with the things I’m doing. When 2nd Semester came, the reshuffling of areas happened. I felt frustrated because I have a new area and I felt that I haven’t finished what I have started there. However, I should accept it because there’s no way of rejecting it. Moreover, at that time I learned that my area is Kalayaan. Whenever I heard stories about Kalayaan I can’t miss hearing the words “No lunch.” That’s why my initial implication to Kalayaan is that the work is hard.

It was the third Sunday of October 2014 when I’ve been to Kalayaan. I never expected that my first day in the area would change my perspective on the mission I am assigned. When I was in San Vicente I can say, yes, we do eat lunch there, and the mission we’re doing was OK, but in Kalayaan even though no lunch, the call for mission out-stands. I felt ashamed of the prejudices I have because what defines the real mission is not the fact that someone sustains our needs, but the fact that someone shares the needs and smiles. Needs and Smiles, these two things made me thought a lot of times. 

Smiles. When I got there, I was welcomed with a smile. When we walked for an area orientation, smiles are what I received. What can I ask for more from them, if a single smile makes my day, and a thousand smiles make my life? Though it’s not a literal thousand, looking from the smiles of some people, they worth thousands. I feel blessed and came to realize I love now this area and it deserves something special from me. I am challenged to justify what they have given to us and for that, I am really willing to give my best efforts and time for them. Even though, I’ve been there for only two days (the third Sunday of October and November) the calling for the mission is always heard.


Needs. Facing the problems of the people there, I can say it is a financial matter. The challenge is posed because of the sharing of stories they have. The people are rich in spirituality that they can say it is the will of God. There was an old lady who lives in her house all alone and inflicted with an illness.  When we came to her, she has shown her medicines, prescriptions, bills, etc. It really broke my heart to see that kind of condition. She is alone in life and no one supports her. She said, “Kakatapos ko nga lang umiyak, buti nga at nabisita kayo’t gumaan ang loob ko.” That time I realize that we somehow bring joy to some people in the places we have been assigned. We are capable of touching lives.

I am willing to walk an extra mile for the people of Kalayaan. The BEC coordinator is enthusiastic, their Vice-Coordinator is so caring, the people indeed there are full of good values which I’m more inspired to continue my vocation. The two visits I had there left a great impact on my personality and spirituality. It also brought me to other questions such as, how to be a missionary to them? What are those things that can I do more? and How can I return the goodness they have shown me?