Kuya's Vocation

Just this morning when I checked my Facebook, I chance upon seeing the profile of a former co-seminarian whom I have known for awhile. He just got married last June 2011. I was happy knowing that he got married and immediately I sent message to him of congratulatory even though it's very late. He responded some several minutes ago and he told me that even though he wanted to become a priest but he has already difficulty of adjusting the seminary life. I replied that he can serve the Lord in his own capacity and his way. Though he's already in his mid-life stage, he actually has this strong desire to serve the Lord by becoming a priest but circumstances happen unexpectedly that he went out from seminary and back to his work as a dean in a university somewhere in Manila. Right now he's happily married and had move on but the vocation implanted to him still flourishing although in a different path of service.

I admire Kuya. In a short span of time of being with him in the seminary, he inspired me. I know it's difficult at that stage to pursue priesthood but what actually admirable is his conviction to hold on to that dream and never let it fade. Kuya would sometimes encouraged me to continue my aspiration to be a priest. Whenever I meet him in our seminary corridors he would greet me with a smile and saying 'sige lang kuya, sana maging pari ka'. Those words are enough to inspire me.

a vocation of service...

We have different callings. A vocation is gift from God that has given to us and this unique calling is not something that we pursue as a career but a call of service to others. Kuya may not have become a priest that he dreamed to become but he has given a call by Godto inspire and encourage young men to pursue their dreams, I myself is an inclusion to those men he inspired.  Kuya has renewed his vocation and he keeps doing that service for others as well, fulfilling our seminary's vision to be of service to others, be Christ-like for men and doing magis for God's greater glory.