To Let Go so as To Hold Tighter
When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
-Matthew 13:46
It is one thing to read this passage and meditate on it, viewing it as a distant proverb with countless interpretations. It is a totally different experience, though, when you see it unfold in front of you through the unassuming lives of ordinary folks. This seems to be the case with the pre-novices at DBFC. After a year of a constant balancing act between self and the world, they have made a crucial decision to go beyond the ordinary and enter the realm of the extraordinary.
Six beautiful souls, gifted in their own right, with the world in the palm of their hands, chose to let go not only of everything they have but also of their very selves. They let go to hold on tighter to something greater—a pearl of great price. After much soul-searching and facing their worst fears—their own selves—they have come to a profound realization: they are loved beyond understanding.
In response to that great love, they sold everything dear to them—family, friends, loved ones, opportunities for greatness, the chance to have a family of their own, and the limitless opportunities the world has to offer. In an exchange that seems to make no sense, they took hold of the valuable pearl of religious vocation. A total bewilderment in the eyes of mortal men, this barter led to an emptying of themselves and the pouring in of the new man, which is the realization of God’s original intention for humanity—to be an exact image of Christ.
They sold themselves and bought Christ.
These six courageous men found the pearl of great price. The painful journey begins for them. What lies ahead is an inevitable change that demands transformative pain. Painful, yet indescribably beautiful. At the end of the road, there will not be green pastures of comfort and pleasure but more mountains to climb, more rivers to cross, and more oceans to conquer. In the process, they will find themselves in their true form—Christ fully alive.
For Bayong, Eugene, Glenn, Joe, Nico, Niño.
Disclaimer: This section of the website is a personal creative writing of the author and does not necessarily reflect the official views, opinion, or policies of the Salesians of Don Bosco – Philippines South Province. For concerns on the content, style, and grammar of this piece, please contact us.
