My Gratitude to ICMAS

Homily
Immaculate Conception Major Seminary
Tabe, Guiguinto, Bulacan
November 15, 2006
Lk 17:11-19

The word “gratitude” is defined as an emotion, which involves a feeling of emotional indebtedness towards another person. Often gratitude is always accompanied by a desire to thank the person, or to reciprocate for a favour that this person had done for you.

In the Gospel today we heard about a Samaritan who returned to Jesus to show his gratitude for being healed. Gratitude is the homage of the heart which responds with graciousness in expressing an act of thanksgiving. The Samaritan approached Jesus reverently and gave praise to God. He came back to recognize and appreciate the mercy, compassion and healing he received from Jesus. “He praised God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet.”

This is actually how I feel today, like this Samaritan I would like to praise God with a loud voice, I would like to fall at Jesus feet for this feeling gratitude I have today. I am very thankful and full of gratitude first of all because of the gift of the priesthood. I return today in my beloved seminary, the Immaculate Conception Major Seminary, not just to visit this place or reminisce my happy memories particularly in the college department, but I’m here to bear witness to you the grace I received from God.

Tomorrow I will celebrate the second month anniversary of my priestly ordination. Looking back in 1998, my final year at Philosophy department, I had full of doubts, uncertainties, and struggles about my vocation. I shed a lot of sweat and tears in this chapel. Knowing my sinfulness and incapability I was then asking God for clarity and direct answer whether God is really calling me to be priest or not.

I still remember my former rector Msgr Angel Santiago, he would often remind us that we are being formed in the seminary to be good, holy and intelligent priests. Again and again he would say this in his homilies, lectures and meetings – to be good, holy and intelligent.

To be good means doing good acts and showing others the goodness of God. To be holy means to be always in touch with God and making others feel the loving presence of God. To be intelligent means being able share wisdom of Christ to others. I took them as big challenge for me, however, we are here at the seminary to be formed according to the heart and mind of Jesus.

We, as priest and seminarians have to acknowledge and accept the fact that we always need to be formed. Pope John Paul II stressed in his apostolic letter Pastores Daba Vobis “Every life is a constant path toward maturity, a maturity which cannot be attained except by constant formation.”

So, with great sense of gratitude, I would like to express my gratitude to the seminary fathers, seminarians and the whole community of the Immaculate Conception Major Seminary, for your important contribution in my vocational journey to the Priesthood.

I would like to end my homily with this prayer:

"Lord, may I never fail to recognize your love and mercy toward me. Fill my heart with gratitude and thanksgiving and free me from pride, discontentment, and ingratitude. Help me to count my blessings with gratefulness and to give thanks in all circumstances."