From the Gospel, we heard Jesus cursing the towns of Chorazin and Bethsaida.

But why did God curse them? Simply because the people of these towns were not repentant of their sins despite the mercy and love that God gave them. God has changed his heart towards the people of Tyre and Sidon because He has seen them repent and felt sorry for their grievances. Jesus has always been delighted with the people who, amidst their sinfulness and weaknesses, at the end still longs for Gods mercy and pardon. God has always found joy in the people who even amidst many struggles still finds the courage to do what they ought to do. Hearing these same words of Jesus cursing the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida, I cannot help but relate my own experiences here in this institution back from my student years. I can imagine Jesus, telling me the same words: Woe to you Douglas! had I not taken my studies seriously. Woe to me, had I not learned from my mistakes during my stay here in this institution. Woe to me had I not become a good person even with the good traits that I learned from my teachers here. Woe to me had I not used my education in a good way. Woe to me if I do not become a good priest from today until the last day of my priesthood. Woe to me if I do not become the kind of priest that God wanted me to become. We know that in our lives, God has given each one of us a vocation that we should become committed to. Others were called to married life. Others may have been called to single-blessedness. (Thats why to all single men and women here dont frown if until now, you are still not committed to anyone, well, that could be the vocation that God wants you to have). I remember the good Archbishop Tagle, during our ordination last Saturday, telling the

people to be always faithful to their respective vocations. As ordained, we are called to become good and holy priests, always dedicated to our ministry. And he had specially mentioned the teachers (which I know many of us here can very well relate to). He mentioned that as teachers, you should be committed to teach and make the students learn and be knowledgeable. Tama na daw yung mga teachers na nagtitinda ng kung anu-ano, because that is not part of your vocation. The point is: we should always be faithful to the vocation that God has called us to have. As Christians, we are called to be holy and therefore be sorry and repentant of our sins. Let us not wait God or even anyone here to curse us and hear those WOES only because we were not able to do what we ought to do. When I graduated here, all the while I thought God was calling me to be a good hotelier. That was what I was trained to become anyway. I tried my best to become one. But only to discover along the years that I was practicing my career, that God was readying me for another vocation. This vocation is far different from the course that I have completed from this institution. But nonetheless, there may be a little shift from my vocation, but I know that God is inviting me of the same thing: to be always faithful and committed to this vocation. In my experiences as a student here, I learned the real meaning of commitment and faithfulness. There are the very traits also that I shall always carry with me. What I am now, is because of what you have taught me to become.