REFLECTION ON SMSC's ANNUAL THRUST 2014-2015

SEMINARIO MAYOR DE SAN CARLOS

A year of seminary formation has just ended - a year that was never seen in a linear predictability. But, no matter what, we beat the odds it presents to us. Pausing for some candid moments, I'd like to evaluate how far we aligned our mindset as a community to the annual thrust which is, " a discerning community of priests and lay faithful towards integral formation for the service of the reign of God."

Discerning? is such a strong word and implies a continuous movement because it is a progressive form of the verb discern. Are we discerning as a community? Perhaps discerning is an overarching theme of man's life. The dimension to which this power is tilted makes the difference. Our community directed it to integral formation. By integral we mean holistic. Basing on this criterion, holistic, I bet we fall short in fully accomplishing the said challenge. But, since the theme conveys a progressive movement this is to say that the annual thrust's challenge is not yet ended. The last important phrase, I believe, is the telos; the phrase is "for the service of the reign of God." The annual thrust then is a challenge to serve - a challenge to go out and listen to the discourse of the Other. This then is simply said but not easy done thus a challenge worth fighting for. As a personal opinion I'd like to say that it is only in grounding ourselves to the reality of ourselves and opening ourselves to the dimension or discourse of the Other can we truly appropriate our actions toward building a Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.

The challenge is not yet over. As our theme has a progressive tone thus, community of Charles, never stop believing we can do better every time. And if everything else fails, don't forget that the very heart of the greater scheme of things is God, a God who became incarnate and became like us in all things except sin.

Say to progress then SMSC! God bless us all. 

HOLY?

Excuse me!

Indubitably, anyone who claims to be holy nowadays needs a therapy of any sort, name them and you have them.

It is one of the facts that one of the adjectives that best describe the Church is holy? Are you agreeable to this claim? Moreover, thus the Church then needs a therapy of any sort?

Reflecting upon this claim I discern two important points. One, the Church is holy inasmuch as it is a place and space for sanctification and two, the Church is a sinner inasmuch as her members , which is the Church, are sinners.

Whatever is your fundamental claim, either the first one or the second, it will affect the whole of your life. But I caution you, "beware the LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEE" which can be encapsulated in one word which is HYPOCRISY. Think of the repercussions of the two points and then decide.

Excuse me, the floor for reasoning is opened. Tsadang!