Hello everyone! As a novice, we are asked to submit personal reflections weekly. I don’t really mind if others read my reflections so I might as well share it here in my blog. For a month, I am assigned in a high school doing some class observations, helping the guidance center, and the campus ministry in doing recollections and retreat. Here is my reflection for the week:
How have I been adjusting to the community these past days? Personally, it’s not that hard to adjust since I can easily relate with the Brothers here in Dadiangas. I was even thinking that my adjustment period here in easier compared to my experience in joining the Aspirancy House and the Novitiate. Last Wednesday, it’s my first time to see Br. Crispin inside the house as the community agreed to meet for the community meeting and the Community Life Plan (CLP). Compared to our CLP in the Novitiate, our meeting was very fast since it only took us approximately an hour to finish and that already includes the revisions, July Activities, and other concerns.
Since Monday, I have only joined the community prayer twice not because I skip them but because of the conflict in schedule and due to the hospitalization of Br. John last Thursday. I can somehow feel how stressed Br. John is during these days as I noticed from the stories he share regarding his work and other unnecessary burdens that is given to him by other employees. Though he had been hospitalized, I’m thankful we are still able to gather as a community during meal times particularly during dinner.
I can recall that before I joined the community meeting, I got a nagging migraine from too much heat when I had a siesta in the upper room of the chapel last Wednesday afternoon. It even affected my physical movements that even when I walk, I feel the pangs of pain piercing inside my head. That’s why last Thursday, since Br. Niño is going home to visit Br. John in the hospital due to some health problem, I was also asked to go home and rest. Sometimes I still feel my head aching up until now. But it is okay since it’s a bit tolerable that I can even manage to play basketball.
Speaking of basketball, this is the only exercise I had throughout the week and I just had it last Friday when I asked some high school students to let me join in playing basketball after classes. Unlike in the Novitiate where I am confident to win even if I don’t score (or maybe because my co-novices don’t like to pass the ball to me that often), I am obliged to take a lot of shots because my team mates pass the ball to me often. Thankfully, I delivered well that I have scored a quarter of our total points, most of them from my put-back specialties. I think I haven’t been exercising lately since I still really on the community schedule of the Novitiate for sports wherein I’m feel really pressured to play.
This morning, I remember the lasting statement from our CLP drafting in the novitiate which says “Community First”. During breakfast, when Br. Bob asked me to come with him in attending the Mass in the General Santos Doctors Hospital at 8am, it’s hard to say no so I just agreed to come with him and drop my plans of attending the Mass in Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (OLPGV). It’s like what Mary felt in visiting Elizabeth upon learning that her cousin is pregnant; drop everything I have in mind just to act upon the immediate needs of the community. Here, it’s a simple act of saying yes to an invitation but I hope that in sharing my time with Br. Bob, I was able to make him feel his importance. I cannot just say no to a Brother whom I really look up to.
I think adjusting with the Brothers is quite easy but I still feel the community schedule here a bit different considering that all of the Brothers here are really active in their respective ministries.
Br. Allen 