God calling, you listening?

I HEARD the story that a group of women recently held a meeting to help the tsunami victims. Aside from raising funds, they also decided to bring to their next meeting whatever useless things they had around in their houses. Guess what? In the next meeting, they all turned up with their husbands!

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In today's Gospel (Mt. 4, 12-23), Jesus called simple fishermen to become fishers of men. Nobody is useless in God's eyes and in God's work. God's call is not so much a matter of ability, but willingness. As long as you are willing, God will use you, whoever you are, whatever you have been, whatever you are going through. Yes, we are all called to His heart, to His work, and this is not because of us, but in spite of us.

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We have a new provincial superior in the Philippines' SVD Central Province in the person of Fr. Pol Jaucian, SVD. Father Pol himself acknowledges his "humble beginnings." He started as a sacristan in the Christ the King Mission Seminary. Because of God's call, he entered the seminary and braved poverty and uncertainties throughout his formation. Simple, humble, diligent and personable, Father Pol went on to become a priest, spend 10 years of missionary life in Taiwan and served as parish priest of the St. Jude Shrine in Manila. And now, he is the provincial superior who will lead us. Mysterious indeed are the ways of God. Great is His might, deep is His wisdom, and big, so big is His love!

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A funny thing happened on my way to the house of Pete and Boots Anson Roa last Sunday, the feast of the Sto. Nino. I was already on their street, but I didn't have their exact address. After going around for some minutes, I stopped the car and prayed, not quite knowing what to do next in that helpless situation. Just then a band of children, on a Sunday morning neighborhood patrol checking on the fruit trees and whatnots, passed by. I rolled down my car window and asked them where the Roas' house was- and surprise, surprise-they all yelled they knew where it was, and led me there. In gratitude, I gave them some money, and after they left in glee, I couldn't help but reflect on the goodness of God, the simplicity of children and the need for us, adults, to be humble. If I did not acknowledge my helplessness, if I was not humble, if I did not follow them, I would never have found what I was looking for. You know why you can't seem to find God? It is because you are not honest enough, not humble enough and not obedient enough.

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Fr. Wim Vergoossen, SVD, was one missionary who left his beloved Holland at a young age and served the Lord in the Philippines for most of his 84 years of life. When I think of the zeal and dedication, the trials and the struggles, the humility and the simplicity of the missionaries who have gone before us, I can't help but be grateful to God, and be humbled and edified by their love for God. May God bless and reward them, and may God be merciful to us. Amen.

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The call of the Lord continues. He needs men and women who will continue to teach, proclaim and heal. Are you doing something, anything for the Lord in your life? Are you so busy making money, having a good time, or perhaps solving personal problems and agenda that you have left out His agenda in your life? Please remember that He who gave you life and who gave His life for you, has an agenda for you.

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Jan. 24-30 is National Bible Week. Let us go back to God's Word, the foundation for unity and transformation. Let us be nourished, inspired, formed and fed by the Bible. Do you have a Bible? Do you read the Bible? Do you live the Bible?

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Calling those who need understanding and healing of wounded relationships. Our confrere, Fr. Ed Fugoso, SVD, is offering weekend retreats through psychogenetics and Gestalt therapy in the light of the Gospel at the SVD Retreat House in Tagaytay City (+63 46 4130340/+639175414330). The retreat begins Saturday noon till Sunday noon. Sometimes the call in life is not to go forward, but to go back (retreat), so that one can be recharged and move forward again.

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Thank you Mr. Sergio Dizon for your kind letter to the Inquirer last Jan. 20. Our column "Moments" is a simple and humble attempt to remind hearts that God is present and real in the here and now.

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Our guest on Studio 23, this coming Sunday will be Loren Legarda. Please join us in our TV Mass and talk show, 7 a.m., every Sunday.

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Fatima Soriano, the blind 11-year-old girl who had a kidney transplant last year, who has inspired so many people by her simplicity and joy, told me that she dreamt of Mama Mary who pointed to her some money. But as the money increased, it suddenly became dark, she said. Yes, money can brighten up your life, but too much money can actually darken it.

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, help me to be more honest, humble and obedient so that I can hear and follow you. Amen.