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Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Any Difference?

Today was World Day of Sanctification For Priests. Today also was the memoria of Our Lady of Sorrows. I think both these celebrations do go hand-in-hand for the (1)priesthood, already sullied by its various crisis and missteps in this vocation around the world and even here in Singapore, and the (2)tradition that our Lady is the spiritual Mother and guide of all priests.

Our celebration for the Sanctification of Priests was held at St Teresa's Church that began at 10.00 a.m. We had three different sharings from three priests that stood for the young (Fr Peter Zhang), middle (Fr Henry Siew) and elderly (Msgr Francis Lau) generation spanning across the spectrum of our presbyterium. We also had an address from the Archbishop before we had our Mass and followed by lunch, before we ended the gathering. All in all it was a pleasant affair, nothing out of the ordinary and also was the occasion for catching up with brother priests and for myself to take note that we of the young priests (in the ministry) group are supposed to have a round of football tomorrow morning at the SFX Retreat Center at 10.00 a.m.

So, after today's Sanctification, are we all necessary sanctified? That, perhaps, would be worked out in our respective ministries as we engaged ourselves with the people and the world at large. For me, personally, it has never been easy. Mine is a constant reminder that for things to work out in the favour of what the ministry and will of God entails, it means my own will and way have to be sacrificed most of the time.

This then takes me to the interesting debate about this item here. It may dubbed itself a boring post but I personally think it is anything but. It may be true that we need to nurture properly the gift of the vocation given and not to rashly subject it to the ways and wiles of the world. The crisis of the priesthood in recent years and hitting such lows lately with scandals that became fodder for the media to exploit, show that there is nothing guaranteed even with the confines of the seminary walls.

The best antidote here, for anyone - priesthood or otherwise, is probably that of knowing and owning up to our intentions in life and to be fully honest with what we want to do with it. The next step, of course, is to be totally commited to that and work hard to bring that goal to fruition. Our problem is that we are never fully honest and committed with our intentions. Like Luke Skywalker who couldn't extract his X-wing fighter from the swamp waters using the Force powers because, according to Yoda, he (Luke) can't believe he could. That's why he failed. So, too, for many of us.

However, we are offered limitless U-turns by our Lord. I suggest that we take them as often as we can and humbly ask the Lord for his help to utilise all the spiritual gifts given to us (Eph 1: 3) in such manner that we DO make a solid and telling difference in our lives and those whom we come in contact with.

2 comments:

Holy Drummer said...

Woah. Soccer?!

Back off people, your Shepherds are kickin' machines.

You guys - erm...priests deserve to be in Real Madrid.

For He says: "My disciples CAN play soccer~"

They say the best players are hidden.

Indeed.

Don't believe me? Pop by SFX Major Seminary and ask for 'Myanmar's Roberto Carlos & Ronaldo'=D

Anonymous said...

Fr Luke playing football...nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

If you say going gym and all that...I believe...

And you mentioned some very sensitive names ah Slipper...ahem ahem...

 

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