Teaching for 33 years is long enough for anyone to make a list of memories, good and bad. Most of them, assuredly, are good, thanks be to God! I have made a few mistakes, uttered a few remarks that I knew I should never have said. I know I have done some very good things, and I also know I have done some pretty dumb stuff that I would rather not remember.
One of the dumb things I did was to send out of my class a young man who either always came in late or would often sneak out and cut theology classes. At first, I pretended not to care, but enough was enough at some point. I blew my top and expelled him from class. I knew he was mad at me.
I knew that if looks could kill, I would have died then and there. But I held my ground… and forgot about him during the many years I was working elsewhere.
Many years later, I got a call from that young man. He sounded cheerful on the phone and very friendly. “Father, do you remember me? I am so and so,” he said. I immediately told him, “I usually don’t easily forget those who made my life miserable and you were among them!” And then, when I asked how he was doing in life, what he told me brought instant tears to my eyes. He was busy with his job, of course. He was a doting father to his children and a responsible husband. But he did greater things. He has become an elder in a Catholic covenanted community, very busy doing what I have been doing for many years — preaching and proclaiming the Gospel to other lay people like him.
Care to know the reason why? He believed in the Lord. He accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. And he did greater things than I did. For “whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these.”Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB
Reflection Question:
Do I look down on people who seem to be good-for-nothing?
Father, help me to always believe that each person is special, meant to do great things for Your glory.
St. Basilla, pray for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment