WORD ALIVE
By FR. BEL R. SAN LUIS, SVD
Fr. Bel R. San Luis, SVD
Today, September 8, is the birthday of Mama Mary. It is also the 144th foundation anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) founded in 1875 by German priest St. Arnold Janssen.
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The Society of the Divine Word ranks 7th largest among all the male religious congregations worldwide.To date there are 137 Filipino SVD priests and brothers working in 45 countries, making the SVD the biggest missionary-sending congregation of the Philippines.
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SVD priests and brothers in the Philippines, who comprise the biggest number among the male religious congregations, are involved in the apostolates of parishes, seminaries, schools, justice and peace, mass media.* * *
Readers are requested to pray for the Society of the Divine Word and its various mission apostolates here and abroad.* * *
"If anyone comes to me without turning his back on his father and mother, his wife and children...cannot be my follower."* * *
These words of Christ in this 23rd Sunday’s gospel sound harsh, blunt, and disrespectful, especially for family-oriented Filipinos. But the Lord, in his hyperbolic way of teaching, is stressing an important message. He's saying that nothing, not even family relationships, should stand in the way of following him completely.* * *
For instance, some parents discourage a son or daughter who wants to follow the Lord in the religious life. In light of today’s gospel, those parents will be answerable to the Lord.On the other hand, there are generous parents who sincerely wish and pray that one of their children would enter the religious life. They believe that a son or daughter having a religious vocation is a special blessing.
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The call to discipleship or the following of Christ applies not only to the religious life but to EVERY Christian.Jesus’ general message is that anything or anyone who is interfering or hindering the discipleship must be given up.
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What are these hindrances? One is work. Some people are so enslaved with it that they have no time for God, their family and fellowmen.There's one corporation manager who worked conservatively 19-20 hours a day. His whole life was his business.
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There was nothing sacred in life, except the business. Meetings might be called on Christmas eve or New Year's Day, on Saturdays or Sundays. One day the slave-driving boss was found slumped in his office table--a victim of heart attack!Poor guy, he ended a servant, not of people, but of money. And irony of ironies, he couldn't take along what he slaved for when he passed away.
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Another hindrance may be a deep-rooted vice or sin. There’s a story about four clergymen who were discussing confidentially about their own weaknesses.“I’m very partial to eating sausages,” confided a Jewish Rabbi whose religion forbids eating pork. “I get through a bottle of whisky a day,” said the Protestant minister. “I have a girlfriend on the side,” said the Catholic priest.
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Then they turned to the Born Again minister and said, “What about you—surely you have a secret vice?”“Yes,” he said, “I am a chronic gossiper.” And the three deeply regretted ever divulging their vices.
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Another obstacle to discipleship is the pursuit of inordinate money obtained through illegal and criminal means, as revealed in “buying” one’s release from prison or “GTCA FOR SALE” or merciless money lenders charging sky-high interests practically crippling borrowers.Ask yourself: “What’s the thing that hinders you from following Christ? Is it attachment to work, money or illicit relation?
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The answer will be different for each and every one of us because this is something personal. But the important thing is that we must have a PLAN in life, which does not seek only material success but also spiritual.* * *
SEND AHEAD YOUR TREASURES. “Lay up treasures in heaven where neither rust nor moth can consume,” Jesus says. One way of doing that is by helping our needy seminarians and sick indigents we are supporting.For inquiry, e-mail me at: [email protected].