A PRIEST has urged Catholics to embrace the mission entrusted to them, saying God can accomplish His perfect will through people despite their flaws.
In his homily for World Teachers’ Day last Oct. 5, Fr. Jesus Madrid, Jr. called on Catholics not to dismiss God’s calling and advised them to find confidence in their purpose just like the Blessed Virgin Mary, who showed willingness to bear her son Jesus.
“Kilala din po nawa natin ‘yung ating mga sarili, pero kahit sa kababaan at kahinaan natin, tayo pa rin ay tinatawag ng Diyos na maglingkod sa Kanya. Nawa ang maging tugon, ‘Paano mangyayari ito?’ May kagustuhan na makatugon kahit na sa kabila ng ating pagkilala sa ating mga sarili,” Madrid told devotees at the Santisimo Rosario Parish church.
(May we also know ourselves, that even in our lowest and despite our weakness, God still calls us to serve Him. May the response be, ‘How can this be?’ There is a willingness to respond regardless of how we know ourselves.)
Madrid urged Catholics to emulate Mary, who displayed enthusiasm after knowing that she would become Jesus’ mother despite her personal limitations.
“[S]ometimes, when we have an invitation to serve, and we usually respond, ‘Why me? Other ones are wiser,’ But Mary, even though she knew she wasn’t that worthy… her response was, ‘How can this happen?’” he said.
Madrid recalled the time when he worked outside the seminary and gave advice to his colleagues who trusted him because of his experience in the priesthood.
“[I] told them, ‘God is with you, so may you always choose the good, choose to be better, because God is always there even when I’m not there. The Lord is in each of you,’ and that’s what I will also keep reminding you of… You are God’s dwelling places,” Madrid said.
“We must continue to recognize that God dwells in each one of us. When that becomes our viewpoint, our perception in life and how we treat others significantly improves because we see God in other people,” he added.
The mass, which carried the theme “Valuing Teacher Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education,” was held at the Santisimo Rosario Parish church in conjunction with the ninth novena mass for Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. F — Barbra Althea Gavilan
