The Price of Following Jesus

When I was working outside, before I got ordained, my manager at work asked me, why do you want to embrace the priestly life?  I couldn’t answer her right away. Then, she started to recount the charitable works I’ve done with my friends and the groups we have organized to raise funds for the street children, the aged, and etc. She went on saying; you can still serve God, the Church, even outside. I simply answered by saying; doing charitable deeds is just one thing – the life that I will embrace is far bigger and higher. Of course, she did not understand the totality of my words.  
So, why did I choose the priesthood and religious life? When someone is in love, sometimes it is difficult to articulate the reasons – there is just a strong prompting or provoking deep within that at times words are not enough or there is no perfect word to express it. And sometimes just like love, you just know you are in love – and sometimes too, no explanation is needed. 
Our world today has certainly taught and influenced us to climb up the ladder of success on its own definition – that is by achieving titles and accumulating wealth. To be great means to be above and over the common people. This is true for some people whose motivation in life is to get richer and more powerful. 
As I was contemplating my life outside, this was the breed of force that the people around me were living or chasing. I am sure many called me weird or odd for choosing the road less travelled path.  One apparent reason is that some people have lost their faith in the Church, with its surrounding scandals and abuses. As a result, fewer young individuals respond to God’s calling. And one has to muster his/her courage in answering this invitation from God.
Conversely, it does not follow that we automatically know what we are called to give up for Christ. God reveals his will step by step; one can make a mistake and can even say no. Providentially, God takes us from where we are. He is always with us – and we need to keep close to him through prayers, and do our best to live up according to His will.
The challenge of giving-up our possessions and self-denial are apparent in our Gospel reading this Sunday – personified in the rich young man who tried everything to follow God’s commandments. Jesus gives us the guarantee that we will obtain more than we have lost in following Him and in living out God’s commandments.  
As I learned from our session on Vocational Growth by Bro. Alfredo, FMS; he said, we must try to imitate Christ. And on imitating him, it goes beyond the physical, rather, having the same sentiments or heart of Christ. It is a progressive taking on of the attitude of Christ. And eventually, it is gaining Christ in our losing. Are we ready to pay the great price of following Him? It is definitely risky. But it is the kind of risk that one ends up gaining rather than losing.  
Lastly, our different vocations in life require some sacrifice to die to self and be selfless in service of others. This is the true meaning of following Jesus – dying to oneself, just like the great master who denied himself – who did not deem equality with God. Above all, He died for us so that we may have life in return. Our vocations, then, should be life giving. 
-Fr. Jericho Venarta, OMI