It was in 1996 when the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, the archbishop of Manila, told me, "All right, if you want UST, UST… if you want San Carlos, San Carlos… may the Will of God be Done in You."
We were talking about my preparation for the priesthood and I asked him if I could study at UST. After that I received two recommendation letters signed by him — the first one was for the Rector, Central Seminary which is in the compound of the Pontifical, Royal, Catholic University of Santo Tomas (my preference), and the other one was for the Rector, San Carlos Major Seminary in Makati City.
Those are two of the three major seminaries the dioceses usually send their seminarians to for study and academic formation in preparation for the priestly ministry. The third one is the San Jose Major Seminary located in the Ateneo de Manila University compound in Quezon City.
Earlier, I was asked to serve as an acolyte at one of the weekday masses at Santo Domingo Church because most of the Dominican student brothers, "Coristas," were out at the time. It was nine o'clock in the morning when Reverend Father Honorato Castigador, OP (we called him Father Atong because he didn't like to be called by his Office), the then Prior of the Santo Domingo Priory, told me to get ready to greet the main celebrant who had just arrived.
I went out of the sacristy, approached the main celebrant, and kissed his ring. He asked me, "Are you already a priest?" I answered, "Your Eminence, not yet." He then lightly slapped my left cheek as he said, "Then you should be one, happy birthday!" The rest is history.
My dear brothers and sisters, the Gospel today reminds us to seek the Will of God in all things. All of us are reminded to focus on following Jesus in doing the Will of God as we resist worldly glory, fame, temptations and pleasures, lest we fall into the path of sin and evil. With strong determination in every action we do and every word we say, our works proclaim the glory of God, His truth, and love in our society today as faithful and devoted Christians.
There are times when we still struggle to carry out the Will of God. Each one of us has his own predicament in facing challenges and hardships throughout our ministry, as we encounter stiff opposition and rejection from many of those around us as we minister to the people of God.
In our Gospel today, Jesus told His disciples that He would eventually have to face His enemies and those who would oppress Him, and how He would suffer in Jerusalem and face His Passion and death. This brought about unrest among the disciples who heard it and Peter pulled the Lord and tried to dissuade Him from allowing such a thing to happen. Here, Jesus rebuked Satan who was manipulating Peter as He said, "Get behind Me, Satan!"
So, we can see how susceptible we are to the temptations and to the falsehoods and persuasions of the Devil and how he has always been busy at work trying to subvert and destroy all of us.
As we follow Jesus, we too may have to suffer injustice, oppression, and rejection from the world, as well as challenges and trials throughout our lives here on earth. We may be tempted to give up our faith as we struggle for the truth, just as Satan had done to Jeremiah, to Peter, and undoubtedly to many others.
But let us not listen to the Devil, his words of deceit and lies, the falsehoods and the wicked things that he suggests to us. Rather, let us listen and follow the Lord's persistent call, turning once again wholeheartedly towards the Lord and dedicating ourselves once again to His cause.
Every one of us is the example and the tangible sign of God's works, in proclaiming His truth and the Good News, His love and kindness in our world today.