I was grade three then when I decided to enter the seminary to become a priest. Priesthood was not clear for me on those days. I was fascinated and attracted when our town priest, wore his vestment, saying mass both in our parish and remotest area, especially when he did his homily. I think my vocation to priesthood started from those attraction and fascination. I was attracted to the works of a priest.
After high school graduation, without hesitation, I took an exam in our diocesan seminary. Fortunately, I passed the examination and was admitted as a freshmen seminarian. I was very happy. Finally, my dreams and hope were realized. God allows to venture the realm of seminary life.
Diocesan life was not kind for me. For almost three years in a diocesan seminary. I met a lot of struggles, hardships and challenges. Those experiences taught me two faces of experiences, i.e. the faces of joyful moments and sorrowful moments. Joyful moment was not always present in my experience. However, there were some defeats and difficulties.
My experience told me before the two capacities which are the capacity to become and to remain. Perhaps, a capacity to become is easy thing to do. But, a capacity to remain is the hardest thing to do. To become a seminarian and to submit myself into the formation is somehow easy to achieve. But, the capacity to remain in the seminary is a difficult task to do. I never thought before, seminary life can be a garden full of flowers that has many thorns. The thorns serve as my hardship and difficulties. It is really hard for me to live in a community with a different attitudes and perspectives. It was very difficult for me to handle problems and anxieties. Hence, I asked a year of regency.
After high school graduation, without hesitation, I took an exam in our diocesan seminary. Fortunately, I passed the examination and was admitted as a freshmen seminarian. I was very happy. Finally, my dreams and hope were realized. God allows to venture the realm of seminary life.
Diocesan life was not kind for me. For almost three years in a diocesan seminary. I met a lot of struggles, hardships and challenges. Those experiences taught me two faces of experiences, i.e. the faces of joyful moments and sorrowful moments. Joyful moment was not always present in my experience. However, there were some defeats and difficulties.
My experience told me before the two capacities which are the capacity to become and to remain. Perhaps, a capacity to become is easy thing to do. But, a capacity to remain is the hardest thing to do. To become a seminarian and to submit myself into the formation is somehow easy to achieve. But, the capacity to remain in the seminary is a difficult task to do. I never thought before, seminary life can be a garden full of flowers that has many thorns. The thorns serve as my hardship and difficulties. It is really hard for me to live in a community with a different attitudes and perspectives. It was very difficult for me to handle problems and anxieties. Hence, I asked a year of regency.
I worked in our parish for almost ten months. Ten months were filled up with many meaningful and awesome experiences. God speaks in the midst of my experience. He let me discover the beauty of a downtrodden moment. As I worked, I encountered different poor people with their extraordinary lived-experience. The stories of struggles, difficulties, fight are the main theme of their stories. Then, I told myself, “my down moment experienced in the seminary is very little compared to what they have experienced.” They did not quit, in spite of the unkind life. This is the beauty of suffering. Even the life is not kind for them, they strive, they continue and lived. God is speaking to me through those people and situation.
God opens another door to experience. I met the congregation of the Sons of Charity. I entered into this religious congregation. I never thought before, that I will enter religious life. It was not clear for me, at first, my intention and motivation. I attended a vocation encounter without any clear and definite intention and motivation. Well, as Leibniz says, “nothing comes out without sufficient reason.” There is a reason and God knows the reason. Eventually, when the years go through, God revealed his reason. I am at home to live in a very simple congregation.
Though difficult sometimes, difficulties and challenges make my vocation strong and firm. God continues to speak in the midst of my disposition, aspiration, hopes and dreams, struggle and pain, brothers in community and different persons in apostolate area. I owe my vocation to God and Blessed Mary, Mother of Vocation.
I was hesitant to write an article about Mary, mother of vocation. Honestly, I did not mind before that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the mother of vocation. I always ask her intercession to pray my vocation. As I reflected the attributes of Mary, as a mother of vocation, I suddenly remembered the story of annunciation. This story helps me in reflecting why Mary is called a mother of vocation. But, before going through the story of annunciation, let me first mentioned the meaning of vocation. Vocation is from the latin word “vocare”, meaning to call, a calling. If someone calls you, there is a caller. The caller here is to be understood as God. He is the one who calls us in a particular vocation. There are three states of vocation i. e., marriage life, priestly and religious vocation and single blessedness. God calls us into a fit vocation. Whatever calling we have, God designs and plans for it. The only response we have to do is to work with His plan. Look at Mary, she really responded the call of God, to be a mother of our savior. God calls Mary and she responded. The fiat of Mary is the best model of vocation. When angel Gabriel announced to Mary, that she will be a mother of our savior, Mary responded humbly. “I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me as you have said (Luke 1:38).” This is one of the essences of vocation. She answered the call of God without hesitation. Imagine the situation of Mary. She was young. But, very courageous in answering God’s calling. Mary did not even think before to say “yes”. She really submited herself to work with the plan of God.
Sometimes, I happened to doubt my vocation. Sometimes I hesitated to pursue my seminary formation. But, I noticed that this feeling of doubt and hesitation occurred when I am in a down moment. As what I had mentioned, seminary life is not always in a joyful moment. Challenges and hardships come along the way. It is best compared to a thief that comes in an unexpected moment. However, I did not feel the same when I am in a good condition. It seems that I am very eager and enthusiastic to do a seminary duty and obligation. The eagerness in responding the call of God is not only in a moment of consolation. Even the period of consolation is a great opportunity to test my vocation. How I am faithful to respond His call even the time of downtrodden moment? The eagerness to respond God’s invitation is not only in the period of happiness. Every day is responding God’s calling so that the zeal and eagerness to follow Christ is always at present.
Like Mary, even in the period of her pregnancy, she encountered hardships and challenges from the society. But, still she courageously pursued until Jesus was born. The difficulties of Mary before Jesus was born were not easy. But, she never give up the call of God for her. Instead, she became firm and eager to give birth to our savior. This is the ideal vocation. Truly, she is the mother of vocation. Mary’s fiat is the best and perfect model of vocation. Mary’s firm vocation leads her to become faithful in responding God’s call. Thank God that He gave Mary this “Fiat” to be our mother of Vocation. Mary, Mother of Vocation…Pray for us.
By sem. Michael Jayson Abao
God opens another door to experience. I met the congregation of the Sons of Charity. I entered into this religious congregation. I never thought before, that I will enter religious life. It was not clear for me, at first, my intention and motivation. I attended a vocation encounter without any clear and definite intention and motivation. Well, as Leibniz says, “nothing comes out without sufficient reason.” There is a reason and God knows the reason. Eventually, when the years go through, God revealed his reason. I am at home to live in a very simple congregation.
Though difficult sometimes, difficulties and challenges make my vocation strong and firm. God continues to speak in the midst of my disposition, aspiration, hopes and dreams, struggle and pain, brothers in community and different persons in apostolate area. I owe my vocation to God and Blessed Mary, Mother of Vocation.
I was hesitant to write an article about Mary, mother of vocation. Honestly, I did not mind before that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the mother of vocation. I always ask her intercession to pray my vocation. As I reflected the attributes of Mary, as a mother of vocation, I suddenly remembered the story of annunciation. This story helps me in reflecting why Mary is called a mother of vocation. But, before going through the story of annunciation, let me first mentioned the meaning of vocation. Vocation is from the latin word “vocare”, meaning to call, a calling. If someone calls you, there is a caller. The caller here is to be understood as God. He is the one who calls us in a particular vocation. There are three states of vocation i. e., marriage life, priestly and religious vocation and single blessedness. God calls us into a fit vocation. Whatever calling we have, God designs and plans for it. The only response we have to do is to work with His plan. Look at Mary, she really responded the call of God, to be a mother of our savior. God calls Mary and she responded. The fiat of Mary is the best model of vocation. When angel Gabriel announced to Mary, that she will be a mother of our savior, Mary responded humbly. “I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me as you have said (Luke 1:38).” This is one of the essences of vocation. She answered the call of God without hesitation. Imagine the situation of Mary. She was young. But, very courageous in answering God’s calling. Mary did not even think before to say “yes”. She really submited herself to work with the plan of God.
Sometimes, I happened to doubt my vocation. Sometimes I hesitated to pursue my seminary formation. But, I noticed that this feeling of doubt and hesitation occurred when I am in a down moment. As what I had mentioned, seminary life is not always in a joyful moment. Challenges and hardships come along the way. It is best compared to a thief that comes in an unexpected moment. However, I did not feel the same when I am in a good condition. It seems that I am very eager and enthusiastic to do a seminary duty and obligation. The eagerness in responding the call of God is not only in a moment of consolation. Even the period of consolation is a great opportunity to test my vocation. How I am faithful to respond His call even the time of downtrodden moment? The eagerness to respond God’s invitation is not only in the period of happiness. Every day is responding God’s calling so that the zeal and eagerness to follow Christ is always at present.
Like Mary, even in the period of her pregnancy, she encountered hardships and challenges from the society. But, still she courageously pursued until Jesus was born. The difficulties of Mary before Jesus was born were not easy. But, she never give up the call of God for her. Instead, she became firm and eager to give birth to our savior. This is the ideal vocation. Truly, she is the mother of vocation. Mary’s fiat is the best and perfect model of vocation. Mary’s firm vocation leads her to become faithful in responding God’s call. Thank God that He gave Mary this “Fiat” to be our mother of Vocation. Mary, Mother of Vocation…Pray for us.
By sem. Michael Jayson Abao