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I
chose you and appointed you to go |
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I
had mixed feelings about leaving Manila a couple of weeks ago to return to
Bangkok to assume my new post at the United Nations. On one hand, I would
be assuming a very strategic and challenging position; while on the other,
this would result in our family being divided again between Manila and
Bangkok, at a time when all our children would be residing in Manila.
Joyce’s contract with the ASEAN Foundation in Jakarta was ending
and she and her family were scheduled to return to Manila next month.
Jenner had completed his studies in the U.K. and was back in Manila where
he would soon start working as the head chef of a new restaurant. He was
also completing a music recording that would be launched soon. Joubert had
a good job as a computer expert and, with his wife, was living in and
taking care of our house in Manila. And Jon, the only one who really
wanted to live in Bangkok to study at the international school, was close
to being persuaded to go back to Ateneo to complete his high school. With
the entire family expected to be together in Manila soon, I started to
wonder and ask myself, “Why then should Jean, Jon and I still go to
Bangkok?”
While
in Manila, I also had the opportunity to visit my parents who live in a
town about six hours drive from Manila. Although I built a room for them
at the ground floor of our house (so that they do not have to climb up the
stairs), the two prefer to live in the province where I built a house for
them some years back. Tatay is now ninety years old while Nanay
is eighty-eight. But both are still strong and able to move around well to
do most things by themselves. In fact, they are able to travel to Manila
every two months for their regular medical check up. However, a neighbor
does the cooking, housecleaning and washing for them for a modest fee.
During my short visit, I could not help but notice how well advanced in
years they already were. Although I saw that they were happy and well
cared for by neighbors, I thought then that we should now really reside in
Manila to be closer to them. My
brothers and sisters, at the airport while waiting for my flight to
Bangkok, I was reading the Bible and reflecting on all these things when
my attention was caught by the following verse: It was not you who
chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that
will remain (Jn 15:16). I took my small notebook and wrote down the
verse. I knew then that God was speaking to me and I wanted to record His
message and the date – 30 June 2002. The
words “I chose you and appointed you to go” kept racing through my
mind as I boarded the plane that was to take me back to Bangkok. During
the flight, my mind was preoccupied with the following thoughts: When we
decide to serve the Lord, we should not choose where we should be or what
we should be doing. For what enables us to decide to serve God is God’s
grace itself. We do not choose Jesus. It is Jesus who chooses us. It is
Jesus who draws us to the Father. It is Jesus, and Jesus alone, who
appoints us to “go and bear fruit that will remain.” Therefore, we
should allow Him to direct our lives. We should listen to Him. He will
appoint us and tell us where to go. Only when we follow Him that we can
bear fruit that will remain. Three
years ago, when I was asked to join the Estrada Cabinet as Science
Secretary, we were also very reluctant to leave Jakarta. I had a good job
and we loved our CFC community in Jakarta. But we came back to Manila
because we were certain it was where God had wanted us to be. Many of you
know the rest of the story. A CFC corporate community was established at
DOST and it became the first government agency to assist, in a significant
way, CFC’s work for the poor at Bagong Silang. Since then the DOST CFC
community has continued to “bear fruit.” For instance, I was delighted
to learn that our former lower household composed of DOST undersecretaries
and directors – now under the pastoral care of Val and Issa Reyes –
had started its work for the poor in Payatas. Rolly Viloria had brought
technicians from MIRDC to train the residents in welding and other skills.
And Flor Tesoro had asked FPRDI to fabricate low-cost houses for Payatas. In
his book entitled “In the Power of the Spirit: Effective Catholic
Evangelization”, Kevin Ranaghan, a Roman Catholic deacon, writes about
the true meaning and scope of evangelization. He says: “God is not only
interested in souls, but also in our whole life, work and enterprise. He
wants all of it transformed into his kingdom. This means that what we
often see as secular or worldly – jobs, career, economic programs,
public and private education, health services, criminal justice and the
courts, local, national, international politics and economics, questions
of war, peace and justice, radio, TV, music and art – are all meant to
be transformed into the kingdom of God on earth.” Ranaghan
continues: “Another area of work and witness is the promotion of
justice. Today we are faced with many issues grouped under the heading of
justice: abortion, war and peace, racism, housing, employment, wages, care
of the aged, conditions of migrants, treatment of aliens, prison
conditions, public education and world hunger. These and many other social
issues are Christian concerns. They are all part of the process of
building the kingdom of God on earth and restoring it to His purposes.” All
this is echoed in Dominum et Vivificatem (Lord and Giver of Life),
where Pope John Paul II exhorts us: “Christians, as witnesses to man’s
authentic dignity, by their obedience to the Holy Spirit contribute to the
manifold ‘renewal of the face of the earth,” working together with
their brothers and sisters in order to achieve and put to good use
everything that is good, noble and beautiful in the modern progress of
civilization, culture, science, technology and the other areas of thought
and human activity.” My
brothers and sisters, I am now certain that God has something special for
me to do at the United Nations. What they are exactly, I only have a vague
idea. Bro Frank Padilla and I have discussed some possibilities but what
will be accomplished ultimately will be not what Frank and I have planned
but what God has planned. Thus I continue to pray for God’s guidance and
grace. If God wants to “transform international politics and
economics,” to “promote justice” and to “put to good use
everything that is good, noble and beautiful in the modern progress of
civilization” so that they all could become means for establishing His
kingdom on earth, then I am certain that He will show the way. If God
wants to use my work at the United Nations to further CFC’s work for the
poor, then I know that He will open doors and clear pathways for this to
happen. For God is faithful and He always finishes what He has started. While
I was writing this reflection and sharing, I was prompted by the Holy
Spirit to check the Gospel reading for that Sunday (30 June 2002) when I
left Manila for Bangkok. I immediately opened my Bible and this was what I
read: Whoever loves father and mother more than me, and whoever loves
son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not
take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his
life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
(Mt 10:37-38). After reading this, I could not help but exclaim,
“Dear God, you have indeed a way of conveying your message and your will
to us!” My
brothers and sisters, I should like to ask you now to join me in prayer:
“Dear Lord, we thank you for your love. Forgive us for placing our
parents and children ahead of you. We believe that you choose and you
appoint. Guide us then, so that the task that you have asked us to do may
bear fruit that will remain. Amen.” |
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