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Rodney Nootebos - Vancouver Seminarian
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I am slowly but surely getting used to this different way of life. Why am I in the Seminary , you ask? I have been asking myself that same question these past few days as well.
I am finally coming to understand a little of what it really takes to give your entire life to Christ. To be a priest requires discipline. It requires that we leave all that we have and follow Christ's calling. Being so close to my family and friends, it has not been easy to be away from them. |
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- Yes, I will be seeing them again, but the thought that my time with them will be drastically shortened if I continue on to be a priest has made me ask myself if this is really what I want to do. Not only that, but the easy life that I have had up to now will be no more. And so in my sadness and fear, I have come to Jesus in prayer. I realize that he is true happiness and that he provides true joy. Although it may be hard to see all the time, I believe it is true. That is what has kept me going these past few days.
In the end, it does not really matter what I want to do, but what God wants me to do. Jesus wants me to leave the world for him, to give up material joy for spiritual joy. I will have to leave the world on my deathbed anyways, so why not leave the world now. While I am still on earth God will give me graces and support me as I leave this world, so why not take advantage of that. If I do not, my forced departure from this world at death will be that much more painful. This reassures me and helps me to accept that now is a better time than ever to give up my life for Christ. At least God will help me along the way. This thought sustains me in my vocation. I'm sure that it will help me whether I become a priest or remain a lay person.
Whether we are a priest, religious, or lay person, we are all called to leave the world for Christ. Let's leave the world now while we still have the opportunity for Christ to take hold of our life. If we don't leave the world now, it will be very painful leaving it at our death. So, if you have any inkling of a call from God to the priesthood or religious life, take hold of it and don't let it go until you know exactly what it is. I guess that is the reason why I am in the seminary. Realize that this possible call will take sacrifices and pain, but remember what Jesus said: "Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake, will receive a hundred times more and will be given eternal life." (Matthew 19: 29)
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