His Excellency, Most Reverend Jose A. Cabantan, DD, Bishop of Malaybalay, Most Reverend Antonieto D. Cabahug, DD, Bishop of Surigao, Most Reverend Ireneo Amantillo, CSsR, DD, Bishop Emeritus of Tandag; Seminary Rector, Very Reverend Father Celerino Ignacio M. Reyes, SJ; Reverend Fathers; fellow graduates, brother seminarians, dear parents, relatives, benefactors, and friends, good morning!
What we see in the beauty of nature reflects much on the One who created us. Look at a mother bird; see how she tiresomely flies back and forth to look for dried twigs and leaves and patiently weaves them into a nest where she can securely lay her eggs. That is what God has graciously done for us all throughout these years. Countless times we had offended Him; many times we had hurt our brother seminarians and formators; many times we had forsaken a lot of people entrusted to our care; many times we encountered difficulties…but our Lord is just so great, His love and mercy is so unfathomable! See how He patiently gathered His people – our families, different sets of formators, various peoples in our apostolates – just to produce the best human and spiritual formation modules to make of us the fire-tried and full-packed Viannistas He wished to have for His Church.
Why does a mother hen settle down over her eggs after laying them in her nest? It is because the premature chicks still could not withstand the weather outside; they still need their mother to keep them safe and warm as they grow and develop. Now, I realize why it did not take us too long to agree to Frank’s suggestion regarding the name we were to identify our batch. Since May 2005, we have been calling ourselves “the S.A.L.A.G. batch”: Suluguong Angayang Ligdungon Alang sa Ginoo. It was unanimously chosen because the name rightfully satisfied the innermost longing we had in our hearts. Even before I entered this seminary, it had been my prayer that God will lay me in a “nest” aron ako mamahimong ligdong, in a salag where I would be securely formed and equipped. Indeed, He blessed us with a salag beyond imagining, St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. How could we not glorify God when in the very moment of the seminary’s Silver Jubilee celebration last year, He gave us our first bishop, our very own Bishop Jose Cabantan, who is celebrating the Holy Mass with us today. How blessed we truly are! It is in this salag where we found the joys of companionship, of real brotherhood. Human mapusa ang ilang mga balay diha sa salag, walay pisô nga labaw nang daan sa abilidad kaysa sa iyang mga kauban. We grow and learn together. Kabalo sab kita nga ang salag sa Sayáw makatabang sa atong mga igsuon nga anaa sa kabukiran, kay kini mabaligya man. Just like that, it is in this salag where we realized that learning theology is not meant to be kept for selfish intentions but meant to go beyond the four-walls of the classroom and be preached even if it entails discriminations. And what’s even more dramatic is the image of a mother Pelican bird who strikes her belly by her beak to death so that flesh and blood will flow from her just to feed her young. Just as she sacrifices her life for her babies, it is in this salag where we learn that feeding the hungry is not limited to showing them our white robes but rather seeing and feeling Jesus’ presence in our brothers and sisters; a compassion patterned after the heart of the Good Shepherd. So how could we not feel the warmth of such love when He Himself unceasingly assures us every time we pray, “You are My beloved children, you are precious in My eyes, I love you, you are Mine.”
My dear brothers and sisters, it’s now time for us to fly and say goodbye. We may not be that perfect yet; we may still have the issues we constantly struggle with. But, you know what, what gives the courage to continue is the very fact that you TRUST us that we can already fly by ourselves. In fact, it was God Himself who revealed to Marwen during our retreat that we are no longer suluguon but “Sons Always Loved and Assured by God.” Thank you very much for responding to God’s call to be His instruments of transforming us into servant-leaders who are angayan ug ligdong na.
Finally, we ask you to continually pray for us. We will now leave the comforts of the salag and will now soar high in the wide skies. Pray for us, that as we move on, may we become true instruments in building more of the Lord’s salag where others can find comfort and solace knowing that, as we found here in the seminary, God’s presence remains with us. There are still many challenges in the ministry waiting ahead of us. And we are all aware that if we cease to flap our wings, the gravity of trials and temptations will surely pull us down to the ground. But we assure you, with the promise of God’s unfailing grace, we are much braver now, because we carry with us the strength of our eagle wings. Thank you and good morning!
excellent speech... it captures the seminary's vision of formation, the experiences of the batch. the weaving of images and themes from nature and Scripture are also well done. congrats and keep up the good work. May you have a joyful ministry as deacon and later on, as priest.
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