As we celebrate the feast of our Father Founder and Patron, St. Anthony Mary Claret, on this stormy day, we are moved to behold the pains and troubles of many people affected by this severe tropical storm. (Let us pause as we remember them in prayer.) These are intertwined with the cries of Mother Earth, who is in a state of emergency, and the global turmoil marked by wars and abuses. Notwithstanding our individual and collective pains, we are all disturbed and must be disturbed.
In today’s Gospel, Peter is apparently disturbed by Jesus's declaration that the Son of Man “must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Peter could not understand the reality of pain in Jesus's life. Peter would want a triumphant Jesus according to human standards.
Like Claret, we are invited to follow the path of discipleship despite our pains and troubles.
This path takes into account our “Quid Prodest” moments—“What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” Claret had to do soul-searching as he discerned God's will in his life.
As Claretians, discernment is necessary in our day-to-day undertaking. Discernment is indispensable in our communal life and leadership. Discernment is an essential dimension of our synodal encounters. It matters that we should not rush our judgments and even decisions. Our choices have to be processed in a discerning way and not allow our emotions, not even our biases or prejudices, to rule our conversations and actions. In this way, we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us. As we listen to God’s promptings, we are drawn to obedience.
Likewise, the path of discipleship finds meaning in the love of Christ. St. Paul declares that the love of Christ impels us, and Claret took this seriously as the foundation of his missionary life. We see this in his coat of arms as a bishop. As Claretians, the love of Christ is at the center of our life and mission. It is the engine that propels us forward.
Today in Vatican, Pope Francis is set to release his fourth encyclical, “Dilexit nos” (He Has Loved Us), focused on the human and divine love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Pope calls for a shift in perspective, urging people to “recover the heart” in a world that seems to have lost it. In order to follow Jesus along the path of discipleship, we must be immersed in His love. We must do this in constant prayer, especially in our contemplation and meditation on His Word and in our encounter with the love of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. We should never take for granted these precious moments of immersing ourselves in the divine mystery of love. Oftentimes, we might be tempted to set our moments with God as optional. Let this love encounter with Jesus in His Word and in the Eucharist be a priority.
Lastly, the path of discipleship leads us to a prophetic witness: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me. He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the Lord…” Prophecy is embedded in our mission as Claretians. As Claret was himself a prophetic witness during his time, we are called to do the same in our acts of goodness that would bring the joy of the Gospel. We do not need to do extraordinary acts in our communities. We simply have to do little acts of kindness at all times, in all circumstances. This means that, as prophets, we have to get out of our self-consumed world. Our world is not about “I”, “Me”, “Myself”—the world is about everyone. The Synod on Synodality, which is ending its second session by the 27th of this month, has this constant refrain: to look at the other as the beloved and, therefore, treat each other with respect and love. Let respect and love be observed in our spaces of encounter so that our prophecy shall be witnessed. When we see the other with respect and love, we shall serve him/her with an authentic mission.
Dear friends, we come together in the midst of a storm. We are disturbed, and our plans have been distorted. Yet, we come before the Lord in prayer and thanksgiving as we remember St. Anthony Mary Claret—his life and witness. On his feast day, may St. Anthony Mary Claret lead us along the path of discipleship and follow the Lord Jesus who is our light and our salvation. Let our discipleship be marked by discernment that allows obedience to God, love that springs from Christ, and prophecy that leads to authentic mission.
St. Anthony Mary Claret, pray for us and help us become true disciples. Amen.
