Ten (10) years ago, on August 27th, I received the gift of ordination through the laying on of hands of Bishop Joseph Nacua, OFM Cap, DD. It has been such a beautiful journey, filled with joy, contentment and peace. I have nothing in my heart but gratitude to the Lord and to you. You have made seven of those ten years such a wonderful and enriching ride. I hope that you can say the same. With what I have done and accomplished, I thank God and give him back the glory. With what I have failed to do, I ask God to forgive me and give me the grace to be better. I pray for humility. Help me be.
The road to eternal life is narrow. It is necessary to contend, to struggle, to strive. Without it, we will never become the beautiful creation God intended us to be. Our second reading phrases it this way: “Endure your trials as “discipline.” At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.”
“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” These are the words of Jesus in our Gospel this weekend. How should we understand this?
Fools are those who think they still have plenty of time. Fools are those who neglect their duties and live in immorality and licentiousness just because “the master is away.” But wise are those who do not waste any second of time and do the will of God.