I was set to accompany Fr. Gelo at Barangay Tarican for the Holy Mass. It was raining and I already wore my cassock for we were in a hurry. Carefully, I went inside the tricycle. At first, all was well, however cautious to keep my cassock clean, until we got off and saw my white cassock with rust stains! Just the other day, my surplice got grease stains as well! After the Mass, I hastily asked Google how to remove the rust stains, just like I did with my surplice. Removing the stain was difficult but if I want it to be worthy for the Mass, I need to exert effort. Keeping my cassock and surplice neat is a tough challenge, considering both are white which makes it prone of dirt and stains. In life, we also experience the same struggles in our aspiration to lead holy lives. We all aspire for holiness. But to become holy, one must pass through the eye of a needle; it is not an easy way of living. What must we do to achieve this goal?
Holiness requires one to be clean physically and spiritually. Yes, it is REQUIRED. We must be reminded that for us to be able to see God, we must have a pure and clean heart lest we become like the Scribes and the Pharisees who "clean the outside of the cup while the inside is covered in dirt" (Mt. 23:26). After the fall of Adam and Eve, we became vulnerable to evil. Keeping ourselves unblemished from sin is a struggle, just like my experience of keeping sotana clean from mud and rust. However, if we want to see God, we must have a pure heart, a pure soul free from the corruption of sin.
When one succumbs to the cravings of the flesh, he must rise up. The struggle is real but it is the ONLY WAY towards holiness. It is given that we are made in the "image and likeness of God." The challenge however is to keep ourselves aligned with what God has intended us to be: His children. Cleaning my sotana was difficult, but that is the only way to remove the stains that makes it undignified and unfit for service. It is the same with us. We must exert our efforts to make ourselves pure again to become worthy of God's mercy, to be with Him in His kingdom.
Recently, Mother Teresa of Calcutta was canonized for her exemplary way of life that inspired the modern world. Her whole life was dedicated at the service of the poorest of the poor, offering sacrifices for their sake. In spite of the struggles she faced head-on, we learn from her that the key to leading a holy life is perseverance. To persevere in serving the Lord, to persevere in our vocation, to persevere in doing works of mercy, to persevere in prayer and, to persevere in humility, accepting our frailty and asking the Lord for pardon and strength. We don't become saints overnight. It is a lifetime challenge to be accepted wholeheartedly. With perseverance, one can become like St. Teresa of Calcutta.
As I continue my journey towards the priesthood, God reminds me that a pure heart is significant and inextricable part of my vocation. How am I able to become an alter Christus if I do not have a close relationship with Him? How can I have a close relationship with Him if I keep myself away from Him by wallowing in sin? Truly, cleanliness is next to Godliness. Just like my cassock and surplice, I, too, must be clean to be of service to Jesus Christ our Lord.
When one succumbs to the cravings of the flesh, he must rise up. The struggle is real but it is the ONLY WAY towards holiness. It is given that we are made in the "image and likeness of God." The challenge however is to keep ourselves aligned with what God has intended us to be: His children. Cleaning my sotana was difficult, but that is the only way to remove the stains that makes it undignified and unfit for service. It is the same with us. We must exert our efforts to make ourselves pure again to become worthy of God's mercy, to be with Him in His kingdom.
Recently, Mother Teresa of Calcutta was canonized for her exemplary way of life that inspired the modern world. Her whole life was dedicated at the service of the poorest of the poor, offering sacrifices for their sake. In spite of the struggles she faced head-on, we learn from her that the key to leading a holy life is perseverance. To persevere in serving the Lord, to persevere in our vocation, to persevere in doing works of mercy, to persevere in prayer and, to persevere in humility, accepting our frailty and asking the Lord for pardon and strength. We don't become saints overnight. It is a lifetime challenge to be accepted wholeheartedly. With perseverance, one can become like St. Teresa of Calcutta.
As I continue my journey towards the priesthood, God reminds me that a pure heart is significant and inextricable part of my vocation. How am I able to become an alter Christus if I do not have a close relationship with Him? How can I have a close relationship with Him if I keep myself away from Him by wallowing in sin? Truly, cleanliness is next to Godliness. Just like my cassock and surplice, I, too, must be clean to be of service to Jesus Christ our Lord.
