It is actually a February event when Dominicans offer a special day and the liturgy of the mass for the dead for the departed parents of all Dominicans.

 

Indeed, this is a very refreshing, if not encouraging sight for our departed parents to see that the whole Dominican Order dedicates a special day for them. Quite significant is the mass offering by the whole Order which empowers the offering all the more considering the combined prayers of a multitude of religious – the priests, the sisters, and the lay. We all know that the prayers of two or more who are gathered together, are always better than the prayer of one; and the prayers for others, are always better than the prayers for oneself.

No doubt, parents whose children enter the priesthood or the religious life are blessed, to say the least. Vocation is a grace, and therefore, it is primarily a gift coming from God. A vocation is a call that happens in a concrete situation as in a particular family, and parents, in one way or another, always play a role.

 

I still remember the years when I was in the elementary school age, walking to and from the public school which I attended, I always passed by the church without going inside the church. But processions during the Holy Week left its impression in me. Good teachers left their mark in my memory. Relatives would talk about vocation. I saw most homes with the icon of the Sacred Heart, and the dried Palm Sunday leaves nailed to the wall.

 

These images would register, and would flash in the mind.

 

The usual way which God works on us is often through another person, or place, or thing.

His ways are always done in a step by step manner, so that we really do not know where an inspiration is leading to. He initiates, plants the seed, inspires an idea, but the evolution of God’s investment in us goes through a myriad of crisscrossing, crooked most of the time, even broken lines, or even end up as buried dreams which resurrect at a time which touches us inconspicuously.

 

God’s ways are very mysterious, unpredictable, and never follows the usual logic of the mind. There is that ‘push’ within that makes us believe that one will have to give up on something, in order to attain the only thing.

 

Attraction to material things come, but they never take hold of us. The thought of a flourishing career throws its magnet, but it does not draw and pull toward itself.

 

One may not be that healthy which is a requirement for admission to religious life, but strangely, the body seems to withstand the rigors.

 

One may not have the brains to tackle all the stuff, but one is able to pass the exams anyway.

 

God sees our weaknesses, and He brings in an ounce of strength that spreads its might all over. If by mere knowing of the desires of our hearts, and He grants them, without our asking for them, you can give me no better proof of His love and concern for you and me.

 

There is that peace which only He can give. It is the peace that comes with the sword however.

It is the peace that separates us from others so that we will be more intimately united with them. Not having one’s own family, yet we become a member of all families. 

 

It is the peace that comes after enduring the surrender of the comforts of home, and gain the freedom from want.

 

It is the peace that comes with everything after giving up everything.

 

A priest was assigned to a place which had long winter, and he thought he would need a couple of sweaters to protect him from the cold. It did not take long when a lady came with a big box of sweaters. Inside the box, were pairs of shoes, pants, and shirts. Then he realized that he had too many, so he started giving most of the clothes he received to others. He needed only a pair, right?

 

God will never be outdone in generosity. What He said in the Scriptures is as good as done. Who said those words is our only security for what should be done by us. The little that we understand should be done, and the more we follow those commands, the more we understand.

 

Doing leads to understanding as I must have mentioned in my past columns.

 

The mind learns as the feet and the hands convey their warmth and toil. This requires a heartfelt generosity on our part too, the sensibility to be grateful for the past, which leads to a hopeful future. 

 

In the practical level, we cannot afford to be lazy. We have to learn to make the best use of our time. It is a constant cycle of work, study, and prayer. Positive activities certainly have their positive consequences. This I have learned from my late parents.   

 

This makes the liturgy today for all our departed parents an indescribable celeb!