On getting married

When I was a postulant, I was part of the vocation animation group in the seminary. And one our task was to give vocation talks to students who would drop by in Canlubang.

In the vocation talk we gave to prospective vocation candidates, we would hammer on them the importance of pursuing one vocation: the vocation towards holiness!

There is no single road towards such destination, we would add. Religious life (i.e. priesthood and lay brotherhood), single blessedness and married life are all paved road that will all lead us to holiness.

Especially during this present time, there has been a marked advancement of lay people being canonized as saints. Holiness is not a monopoly of those who wear the habit.

I posted an entry about priestly ordination yesterday. Today, let me have something on the sacrament of matrimony.

This post has been inspired by the pre-nuptial photos of Jest (the photos were lovely, I especially like the lighting and the over-all texture! See them for yourself by clicking here), a former seminary companion who will be marching down the aisle with her long-time sweetheart, Maren.

Jest stayed only during the first year of our seminary formation. He would kid us that he would follow our companions who "have gone ahead outside." We did not believe him. But one Sunday afternoon, he surprised us when we found out that he escaped already left.

We were not able to talk about it, but perhaps, the short time he spent inside the "wall" gave him tons of signs that the religious life is not for him. I am not sure though if married life is for him, hahaha but given the nearly a decade engagement with Maren, he should be! hahaha

Well, this entry does not merely send a congratulatory tone to the would-be couple, but a concrete expression that I am praying for them.

Jest will have to bid goodbye to his dream of pursuing the religious life, an attempt he made eight years ago. But then, I am sure that he commits himself to Christ by saying "I do" to Maren.