FAITHFULNESS IN A VOCATION

Last Tuesday, I attended a meeting wherein we discussed a fundraising project. There were plenty of ideas presented on how to strategize and increase the profit of the said project. While things are being deliberated and argued, a question popped in my mind; Are we not religious, called by the Lord to follow Him, in a radical way? After the meeting, I continued meditating on this question and realized how much our community seem to be engaged with various activities; so called apostolates. Other activities seem to deviate from the way Dominic chose for our forefathers. One may say time changed. New situations demands for new solutions. The way of the old cannot be the ways of today. True. However, in the midst of changing facets of religious life, there remains to be unchanged - Ante omnia, fratres carissimi, diligatur Deus, deinde et proximus, quia ista sunt praecepta principaliter nobis data.

In the gospel, the Lord is criticized by the Pharisees for breaking the law of the Sabbath. He allowed his disciples to work during the Sabbath. However the Lord presents himself as one knowledgeable about the law (and a precedent case). He knows what the law means; the reason behind the law. Epikeia! He did not break the spirit of the law, though he seemingly did otherwise to the letter of the law. He did not break the law for he knew what the law means. 

In the midst of progress, it is tempting for us to confuse our vocation (of being religious) to those professions we embrace under the pretense of apostolate; of being a successful academician, administrators, managers, fund raisers etc. But how much have we strive to be faithful to the call of the Lord (Follow me!) towards the path of charity, which is the soul of holiness? How much have we love? 

Mother Theresa once said “We are not called to be successful, but faithful.” May all that we do in the community make us faithful to our religious vocation, more than being successful professionals. This we ought to keep in our minds or else we might break not just the letter but more so the spirit of our vocation to love.