Today, I am four years old as a priest (December 5, 2005-2009). I was ordained priest by Archbishop Salgado four years ago at the San Juan de Sahagun Parish Church in Candon City, Ilocos Sur, Philippines for the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia.
Four years of grace.
Four years of blessing.
Four years of providence.
Four years of seeking.
Four years of hoping.
Four years of trusting.
Four years of striving.
Four years of giving.
Four years of growing.
Four years of service.
Four years of prayer.
Four years of witness.
Four years of joy.
Four years of inner peace.
Four years of fulfillment.
Four years of discipleship.
Four years of surrender.
Four years of priesthood.
For all that has been Lord, thank you.
For all that will be, your will be done.
I have not been worthy, never will be.
But I trust in your grace and mercy.
Please make me more and more, a shepherd after your own heart.
Four years of grace.
Four years of blessing.
Four years of providence.
Four years of seeking.
Four years of hoping.
Four years of trusting.
Four years of striving.
Four years of giving.
Four years of growing.
Four years of service.
Four years of prayer.
Four years of witness.
Four years of joy.
Four years of inner peace.
Four years of fulfillment.
Four years of discipleship.
Four years of surrender.
Four years of priesthood.
For all that has been Lord, thank you.
For all that will be, your will be done.
I have not been worthy, never will be.
But I trust in your grace and mercy.
Please make me more and more, a shepherd after your own heart.
(I am celebrating a thanksgiving mass. All of my life and priesthood had been grace and blessing. I have nothing I can claim as my own, except for my shortcomings, which God has even made into avenues for grace through repentace and reform. I have everything else to thank God for. I will remember all who have been part of my life and priesthood with gratitude to God who has so richly blessed me with their persons. Foremost, I thank God for my Parents, Brothers and Sisters and the rest of the Family, Relatives and Friends through whom I encounter God, the Loving and Faithful most concretely. I thank God for Archbishop Ernesto Salgado, who ordained me a priest, and also for his fatherly concern for and confidence in his most unworthy priest. I thank God for the Presbyterium of Nueva Segovia with whom I share not only the priesthood of Christ for the Archdiocese, but with whom I share communion of life and mission. I pray for the faithful of the Archdiocese that we may continue on our journey towards the fullness of life. I especially pray for my ordination class whose friendship and ministry are an inspiration. I pray for the ICST community that we may be living traditions of integral priestly formation. I pray for all whom God has graciously deigned their lives to intersect and enrich my own. I pray for all of God’s people, for whom through God’s grace and mercy, I am a priest, servant, shepherd.)
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