THOMASIANS MUST become missionaries who fulfill the will of God through their professions, said a Dominican priest in a Mass for the University’s Advent Recollection at the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church on Wednesday, Dec. 3.
Fr. Allen de Guzman, O.P. of Sto. Domingo Convent encouraged the laity to emulate missionaries “impelled by the love of Christ” to evangelize and help the poor.
“God loves the people I will help one day. The love of God instills me to be a missionary through my career, through my field of work,” de Guzman said in his homily.
He urged students to find motivation for studying hard and pursuing fulfilling careers by considering how their future professions could benefit the community after graduation.
“We would like to salute all the graduates of UST na naging nurse, naging doktor, architect, and engineer, at kung nakapagtrabaho ng kaunti, they gave up their full time and full career to become professors at UST,” de Guzman said, commending the University’s academic staff.
He encouraged them not to lose hope in the face of frustration and unmet expectations, reminding them that they are doing their job because of God’s love for the people they serve.
De Guzman also reminded Thomasians that being a missionary means being an instrument of God, influencing people to turn away from sin.
“You, too, are all missionaries of your families. Kayo ang tutulong to break the cycle of sin in your family,” he said in his homily.
The Dominican priest said part of the life of being a missionary is sometimes not being able to see your mission come into fruition, using Manila Archbishop Miguel de Benavides, founder of the University, as an example.
“Many missionaries don’t actually live to finish their projects. They only get to begin it, to start it… Isa lang po naman ang naabutan ni Miguel de Benavides. Mga libro, iyon lang. He wasn’t able to see this university,” de Guzman said.
The Mass coincided with the Feast of St. Francis Xavier, a Spanish co-founder of the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, who pioneered religious missions in Asia. With reports from Yuvshenka Andrea R. Osea
