Gospel text coincides with AVPT visit

SEREMBAN – The Gospel text from St Mark 1:14-20 (Jesus Calls Four Fishermen) on the Third Sunday in Ordinary time [21 Jan 2018] coincided with the visit by the Archdiocesan Vocation Promotion Team of Kuala Lumpur (AVPT) to the Church of the Visitation here to promote Vocation.

The team consisted of two Diocesan Priests: Father Augustine Lee (AVPT Assistant Director) from the Church of the Sacred Heart, Bentong; Father Peter Anthoney from the Church of St John Vianney, Tampin; three Religious Sisters – Sister Roseling Siaw from the Daughters of St Paul (FSP), Sister Angeline Poh from the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM), Sister Santha Mary from the Sisters of the Infant Jesus (IJS) and 5th year Seminarian Brother Michael Dass, who is currently doing his Theology studies at St Peter’s College Kuching.

Fr Lee, who celebrated the Sunset Mass, in his homily said, “Like the fishermen who left their nets when Jesus called them, we too need to do the same instead of clinging on to certain things or matters in life.”

The next day, Fr Peter celebrated the 9:00 am Mass. He said in his homily that the Gospel reading is a reminder to us of God’s constant calling to each one of us. Too often, that calling is ignored because we are so engrossed and busy with what we are doing that we put God aside. The things that occupy our time have become the ‘main dishes’, while God has become the ‘side dish!’ Fr Peter went on to share his personal experience in discerning and answering the call of God to the Priesthood. (Fr Peter and Fr Augustine were ordained on 24 January 2013).

Later in the day, the Religious Sisters and Bro Michael Dass shared their personal experiences in discerning and answering God’s call to the Forms Four and Five students of the Religious Education classes, together with their respective RE teachers.

Various informative brochures on different Religious Orders and Congregations in Malaysia were displayed and the students were encouraged to take and read them.

Discernment is the process of determining God’s desire for one’s life. It could be to remain Single, Marriage, be a Religious or enter the Priesthood. – Paul Peter Fernandez, Herald Malaysia