Transforming the World

Millions of Filipinos live and work abroad. With the war in Europe generating energy and food shortages all over, not to mention the increasing havoc nature is rearing at humanity due to human activities that scientists have been warning for decades, more human movement or migrations are expected. This especially when many countries are faced with increasing pressure to cut on social services because of higher debt service incurred during the height of the pandemic. Crises like those have been going on for the last two thousand years, yet it did not stop the Catholic Church from advancing its mission of evangelizing the world. True, resources have always been scarce but our trust in the Lord as collaborators in this common effort have time and again proven to be a repetition of the miracle of the five loaves of bread and two fish which fed a multitude!

Every baptized Catholic has a divine vocation. God trusts and gambles on each one of us to do our mission, ever respecting our freedom. When we do respond, our dignity increases and so does society around us. What an opportunity for every Filipino boarding a flight to Dubai, Toronto, London, and other great cities. We may not be the best. We only have to look at Israel through the centuries – surrounded by technologically advanced nations, empires. The chosen people’s disappointing mandate to be the beacon of light in the course of salvation history shall be our cue to take the light to the world.

Let us be conscious with our mission. Let us ask God to make us good instruments in our littleness. We have seen Filipinos in churches in Europe and North America as choir members, readers, servers, and many are active in other apostolates. God does not keep track of our shortcomings and as the scriptures say, “We are made of earthen vessels.” God sees in us potential if only we respond in humility. We sanctify our work when we offer it to God and do it well, and in the process, we sanctify ourselves and others especially by our cheerful example, for work is not a burden anymore but a vessel to actualize God’s gifts to us. As St. Josemaria would say, “Remember, many depend on whether you and I live as God wants.”

Knowing our mission, formation is needed so that we will know what to say and be understood by others. We also need to pass-on our faith to our family, friends, officemates, and others who wish to receive it. Gatherings for example, by Filipinos abroad are great opportunities to start initiatives, ever so natural, not preachy. The joyfulness of a Filipino surely can attract others. We shouldn’t be deterred from doing our mission by the grim outlook in the coming months. We only have to be prayerful and in discerning, we say ‘yes’ to God always. We are optimistic that with the help of grace, the ten million or so Filipinos abroad will make steady headway to bring the world to God. (Johnny Sulit)