11th Priesthood Ordination Anniversary
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August 26, 2023The prominent figure in the Gospel this weekend is Peter. He was a simple fisherman, neither wealthy nor educated, before he met the Lord. His meeting with the Lord stirred a desire to know him more. When he was called to be a fisher of men, he obediently accepted it.
Through out his journey, he had moments of consolation as well as failure and doubt. When the disciples saw Jesus walking on water, Peter asked to walk with him. As soon as he got out of the boat, he felt afraid and started sinking. “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus asked. On the night before Jesus died, he professed his deep love and loyalty to the Lord. Later, as Jesus walked the road to Calvary, Peter was asked of his association with the Lord. He denied Jesus three times. He felt deeply ashamed after doing so.
Yet, despite of his shortcomings and failures, Jesus knows the saving grace in Peter – his receptivity to the voice of the Father. After professing that “Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God”, Jesus confirms that “flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.” So, Jesus entrusts to him the responsibility of caring for the Church. “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.”
As I recall my priestly ordination 11 years ago today, I cannot help but see myself in Peter. God called me despite of my imperfections and weaknesses. It has been a wonderful journey. I have had so far 3 ministerial assignments (less than a year in the Philippines, 2 years in Maui and 8 years in Chino Hills). Admittedly, the journey was not perfect. I had my own share of doubts and failures. But for sure, God never failed to show me his mercy and grant me his forgiveness. It is by his grace that I am able to do what I have been ordained to do – to care for his flock and build his Church.
Like Peter, you may also feel not adequate enough to be called by God and be his helper in building the Church. You probably think, “I am too old,” “I have no talents,” “I feel unworthy” or “I may not be consistent given my schedule.” Know that these things are not from the Lord. We should never underestimate the power of the Lord to sustain and strengthen us. After all, the Lord will not ask us to do great things for his Kingdom without giving us the graces we need.
I invite you to visit our Ministry Fair in the Hall. It is a wonderful way for you to meet our leaders and gather information about the various ministries and educational opportunities that are available in our parish. You can ask questions that will help you discern what your gifts and talents are and how you can use them in building up our Church. Our Pastoral and Finance Councils are also there if you want to clarify certain things about the report we published last week. Most of all, you can take the time to get to know your fellow parishioners and gain new friends.
Your active participation is vital to the life of our parish. Now is the time to step up and bring to completion the mission of our Church!
