invictusLair

Monday, August 20, 2012

Leave Your Riches, Grant His Wishes

Mt. 19: 16-22

Leave Your Riches, Grant His Wishes

“If you wish to be perfect, go sell what you own and give the money to the poor,

and you will have treasure in Heaven; then come follow me.”

Living a religious life can be quite challenging. Full of prayers, work and most of all… sacrifices. For those who wish to enter the religious life, they must have the greatest endurance-physical, mental and spiritual. It is giving your whole self to the Supreme Being who is behind all these things.

When I first told my friends that I’m entering the seminary, they were a little bothered because they had seen me grow up with them in a world full of pleasures and leisure in life. They did not expect that I, being one of them, would choose this kind of life. I came from a rich family. And by that I meant rich in LOVE and PRAYERS. My parents are both working in order for them to provide us with what we need and what we want. There is just one person who really do not want me to continue priesthood and that is my grandfather. I understand that being the eldest among their grandchildren, I am expected to support our clan’s wealth and they wanted me to become a lawyer.

For me, worldly pleasures are temporary sources of happiness. We often forget that the One above has provided us the purpose of being happy since the time we were delivered in this world. We should be ready to leave all our wealth and riches if we want to follow God. In the Gospel, the rich young man had been very obedient with the Commandments but he wasn’t ready to leave his wealth behind. This is the problem to most of us these days. We have been clinging to the wrong master. These are just bills and coins but they sometimes can own our souls. If we believe that God will always provide us what we need, He will always be there for us. I know that He will not leave us being poor if we are doing our part in this world. Make life simple.

If we really are ready to offer our lives to the Lord, we should forget the worldly pleasures starting now. We are living the life of a religious. I know that it is hard but life really is like that. We can never have the best of both worlds. You can never be a priest and at the same time a president of a company. The best company to have is the company with Christ and that will make us a team with Him having the treasures of the church-the faithful. What should triumph is the contentment in our hearts. And this will make us all happy.

If only we can hear Christ speak to us directly, probably He will say in Filipino: “Halika, sumama ka sa akin, wala kang ibang kakailanganin at walang ibang proproblemahin.”

How contented are you? How are you willing to give up everything to follow Him?

I, _______________, am contented, willing to give up everything just to follow Him.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Metal on a Furnace

“I have tested you like a metal

On a furnace”

We all have different backgrounds in life. Some of us came from descent living and some of us came from hardships. In my case, I may say that I came from a good family. I have parents who can provide me with the things I need. But I do not limit myself to a life of pleasure. I want to show that happiness is open to everyone because we strive to do so. And hard work is a manifestation of such and that is the life I am choosing- to serve my family, and now, the church.

My family is not rich. We only live a simple life. We don’t even have maids at home due to the issues that they take advantages of our properties. Early as 12 years old, I already experienced being the father of the family. Not because my father already passed away but it is because he does not stay home often. Those times were really hard for me especially in maintain the household and it continued until I reached my adolescence. My mother taught us that life is never easy but we should always strive to be happy. It wasn’t easy for me to study during my high school days because I had to attend to the needs of my siblings. But no matter how hard it was, I know that God was always there, and He helped me until I graduate as one of the best students in our batch.

God has tested me from the time I had realizations of the world until today. Wise people say that problems will never be gone but we surpass them. At the same time, things do not get easier, we only get better. Before entering the seminary, I had doubts to myself if I can really continue until priesthood because I know that it is not easy to serve especially the Lord. But then, I told God, “Lord, I am not worthy, but for you, and if only you would accept, may I please serve your church.”

I can feel our Lord’s test of faith. During my first week of stay in the seminary, I had been crying because of home sickness. I understand that the Lord has always reserved for us the best of the bests and He will never leave us. WE shall carry our own crosses if we want to follow Him. It is never easy because we believe that our homes do not belong in this world but in Heaven. I grew up to be prayerful, and my mother always reminds me of that. Christ bore the heaviest Cross and the hardest sacrifices in order for us to be brought back to our real home. No one can stand the level of love He is showing unto us. We should offer our life-joy and hardships- to Him. So, into His hands, we should commend our spirits.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Our inspiring seatwork in IT

Luke 5: 1-11

¹One day

as Jesus stood by the lake

of Gennesaret, with a crowd gathered

around him listening to the word of God, ²He caught

sight left at the water’s edge by the fishermen washing their nets.

³He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to pull out

a little from the shore. There he sat and continued to teach the crowd. ⁴When he

had finished speaking he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and

lower your nets for a catch.” ⁵Simon replied, “Master, we worked

hard all night and caught nothing. But if you

say so, I will lower the nets.” ⁶This they did and caught

such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

⁷They signaled their partners in the other boat to come and

help them. They came and filled both boats almost to the point of sinking.

⁸Upon seeing this, Simon Peter fell at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Leave me,

Lord, for I am a sinful man!”

⁹For he and his companions

were amazed at the

catch they had made

¹⁰and so were Simon’s partners,

James and John,

Zebedee’s sons.

Jesus said to Simon,

“Do not be afraid.

You will catch people

from now on.” ¹¹So they brought their boats to land and followed him, leaving everything.

Saturday, June 30, 2012

If you would go back to your childhood, what would you do?

I do not have much to ask for or wish for when I go back to childhood because I can say that I have a complete one. But if I were given a chance to turn back from today, I would wish that my family had shown me the religious life earlier. My family is religious in the sense that we would be attending the Celebrations of the Mass weekly and its days of obligation.

I wanted to be an acolyte or a lector since I was a kid. We just found it very difficult for us since we will be having a conflict of schedules for our studies. I had been inspired by the Homilies of our parish priests, which in turn became foundations of my “Calling.”

Strict discipline had been imposed to us (to me together with my two siblings) by our parents especially our mother when we were still young. Our parent formed us from different etiquettes, social graces, education and religious practices. At first I didn’t like it but when I grew up, I realized that these things were the training grounds of my desire to enter the seminary.

I am very grateful to grow up in a family where faith and love is the building block of freedom and courage to conquer our Goliaths in life. At present, I am not used to being away from home but God will always be with us and will always lead us to the right path as long as we make the right decisions.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Just me with Ironman

credits to my friend: Rajiv Menghrajani

Saturday, March 17, 2012

My Vocation Story

When I was still in Grade School, I had been influenced by my Character Education teachers in entering the seminary. I was never against the idea, in fact, I really loved it that they see me as someone who can be one of them. Maybe it wasn’t the right time those days that I would seem eager to be a seminarian. On the other hand, I already dreamt of becoming a lawyer or a soldier someday. Even though the military bloodline runs in our family, my mother is still apprehensive about the idea that I wanted to embrace the profession of arms.

It may seem an early call from God since I am only 16. But for me, it has been quite a very long time --- and God have shown me signs little by little. Last year, the school year of 2010-2011, I was in third year High School in O. B. Montessori- Sta. Ana, Mr. Ramil Torres, a seminarian of University of Santo Tomas, approached me. It was just his first year in teaching in our school but he became very influential to all of the students. He told me, “Why don’t you try the seminary?” and I replied “Sure sir.”, but my decision that time wasn’t a hundred-percent sure because I was really confused of what course I shall take in college.

My father also gave me the idea of the seminary life. We were in a hospital that day, I can’t remember what actually happened to me but accident prone as I am, I was pretty sure that I got wounded or hit by a classmate on a regular PE day. He told me that if I’m taking up a pre-law course why not take up Philosophy in Claret Seminary, being a Claretian that he was. I was enlightened by these words and inspired me at the same time. At this point, my decision started growing.

I had a girlfriend that time. There are times that we would talk about my vocation in entering the seminary either in private or in public—with friends. We would always fight, and I understand that she believes that fate will one day permit that I will turn my back from her because I will be God’s servant. We had been quarreling until I decided to break up and she finally accepted that my love for God is greater than my love for her. I still thank God for meeting her because she was also an inspiration for me but I know that God has a better plan, for sure.

As time goes by, I still have not gotten into a decision of what I really wanted to do with my life in the future. Of course, I will always be one of the students who want to pursue a degree in a field of study, build a family of my own, and enjoy the life as a successful person, until I can say that I am already HAPPY. More and more people inspired me like our Values Education teacher in High School, Mr. Bernard Buntile and his friend Bro. Sherwin Salonga, who entered the Alagad ni Maria Seminary. Like what Mr. Torres told me, they also did the same especially during our Spiritual Retreat last November 8 and 9. Their brotherhood caught my attention. They were really happy like you can see Christ in them. At the same time, they are very intellectual and full of values.

Some of us are lucky because we find ourselves in a perfect family. I may not be one of them but I still thank God for bringing me to my parents. I grow up and the more mature I see myself, the more I understand things. Maybe I didn’t see that much of great examples that my father should set as a family man but I still look up to him because he can still show a little effort to provide for us -- with the things we need for school. My parents, together with my grandmother fight sometimes, I can’t help to get involved because I am a product of the family. I grew up seeing how imperfect my family is but I didn’t complain. Not until, I started asking God “Lord, why have you gotten me into this kind of situation?” That time I really reflected and heard God call. God’s voice was “SILENCE”. I literally didn’t hear anything except for the song which came from my heart. It goes:

“You are my light; You’re the lamp upon my feet.

All the time, my Lord, I need you there

You are my light, I cannot live alone

Let me stay by Your guiding love

All through my life

Lead Me Lord”

It was like a sound of a great choir of Angels for me. I knelt, cried and asked the Lord to embrace me once again. It felt like a rebirth for me. It lessened the burden I felt on my shoulders. Not long after that my brother was diagnosed with a Dengue fever. It was one of the most dangerous illnesses that doctors had ever encountered with their patients. He had internal bleeding, low platelet count and unhealthy appetite. I was worried and I pitied my brother for his situation. It continued until his fourth day of stay in the hospital. I prayed to God and with full decision and the hardest things to promise in just a snap of a finger, I told Him “Lord, please have mercy on us all. If you would accept me as a sacrifice to serve you, let it be. Just help my brother recover and help me fulfill Your promise. I will enter the seminary.” And just hours after I say those words, my brother had an initial recovery and was ready to go home.

The person behind my vocation was my mother. She had shown us how she can raise children who will one day become the greatest example for others. She told us that if she were a male, she would like to become a priest too. The good character she taught us is irreplaceable and it helped us achieve so many things. It was just recently that I told her the story of my full decision of entering the seminary. We chose the Dominican Order because my mom is a great friend of Fr. Jaime Boquiren.

My mother also helped me with my application. She called Sto. Domingo Parish and then I was asked to go there and meet Bro. Romulo who gave me my IQ test and Psychological Test. I was accepted by the Order of Preachers after an interview in UST last February 26, 2012. There were only four of us who were scheduled for an interview that day. That was also the time I met Fr. Roy together with Fr. Boyet and Fr. Val (if I’m not mistaken of his name). They let me feel confident in the interview even though they were laughing at me the whole time because of the continuous jokes which I tend not to understand somehow. I always find the priests the wisest men in the planet. Not only because they really know a lot but also because they continue serving the people and finding answers for our faith.

Most of our extended families and some of the people we know do not support my decision. My friends never expected that I would choose this vocation. Maybe we all have different perspectives of following the Lord. Words of criticism and prejudices are just there for to tempt and disappoint us in continuing our goals. It is hard to hold yourself up if you’re afraid that you can’t make it but as long as you offer yourself to the Lord and remember that He’ll be by your side facing all the challenges that go your way, you will always find yourself as a champion.

I just found my purpose in life. And that is to win people for Him. I know that I am not worthy of God’s Kingdom by entering the Holy Orders but I believe He had called me for a mission. A mission to help bring salvation to all mankind. I thank God that out of millions I am one of the persons He called. I find happiness being with the Lord. Worldly pleasure is just temporary but God’s love is never ending. May God help me to hang on and pursue in His light and Glory – in St. Dominic...

-Vince Inigo