My Vocation story

When I got accepted to Franciscan University, I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to actually go there. I was excited that I got accepted, but I didn't know if it was going to be part of God's plan. To be honest, I was torn. This past year, I just realized how much my family means to me (especially since Kuya left), I realized how true my friends were (People who've I've grown to love after 4 or more years), and I realized the love behind my parish and my community with FCJC here at home. It's funny. Cause I realized all of this a little late.

But Saturday night, Tito Bill asked me to give a sharing for the Monthly Gathering. And so that night, I tried to think of things to share. There has to be something, right? God is always victorious and I just want to let everyone know that He is! The next day, I still haven't figured out what to say. And when the gathering started, I just asked God to help me out, cause I wanted to share His glory with everyone! So, Tito Reggie gave his talk and he was just talking about not being prepared as well (coincidence?), but the Holy Spirit led him to his notebook, and a title struck him: We were made for a mission. And throughout this talk, several things struck ME:

1. Evangelization starts in the home, our communities. Then you set forth "to the ends of the earth" 
2. When we are called, and when we respond to that call with "Use me" we get exactly what we ask, and we can't use finance, distance, or relationships get in the way of our service. We have to have the early apostles' attitudes of dropping everything to follow Jesus.

 And so what I got out of these tidbits is that I want to bring my mom and dad back into the community, before I go out and do my own thing. I also learned that since I was called, I can no longer turn back from it. And.. I finally understood that God was calling me to Franciscan. I can't let distance interfere with my service, even if it means a little bit of suffering. This next chapter in my life, I have a new cross to bear. But "with every crucifixion, there's a resurrection." And BAM! With that realization, I knew what I had to share. Holy Spirit, FTW! >:O YEAHHH.

After I shared (oh, I cried too), I just got a lot of support from the Community. Adult I haven't seen for months came up to me after the gathering and congratulated me, telling me that they were gonna pray for me. Man, I wanted to cry so much, but I'm strong! >:O ahaha When I got to church, I got even more congratulations, and a lot of affirmation. And people were excited for me, and I felt at peace knowing that this is something God wanted me to do. He was just reaffirming His plan for me through these people.

Then Mass started, And Fr. Marcial Juan's first words were: Baptism isn't the end, it's the beginning of a mission. He also challenged us to share our Vocation Story, and I don't know if this is technically a vocation story. I know that it's something pretty close to it. WTHECKKK. Coincidence? No. After the Mass, Brennen and I were talking about how the Holy Spirit works. How if everyone listens to the Holy Spirit, then it's just all of us playing into God's plan!

Like if I never read Uncle Rick's email updates about the FCJC Gathering, I would have never gone to the gathering. I would have never did my sharing. I would have never figured out what God wants me to do. I would have never figured out what the Homily would really mean for me.

It's these little things that we hardly notice. That may change the rest of our lives--forever.

And just to end this thang. Something I learned from Tito Reggie. I just want to let you know that the Mission Jesus Christ set out before us--to bring people the Good News--is the very reason our hearts are still beating. Why has He not taken us as soon as we have come to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior? Because we have yet to complete the work Jesus started. Notice how Mass ends after a prayer, right after the high point of the Mass (the Eucharist) is because it's a commissioning. It's not the end, but a beginning. The last verses of Matthew (28:16-20). It wasn't an ending of a great story, but a beginning of a new mission. So as Jesus said "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son , and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I amd with you always, until the end of the age." (Mt 28:19-20)