"If you wanto to follow me, take up your cross and deny yourself and follow me."

The Seed of my vocation

By Sr. Ely

God calls everyone no matter how sinful and who we are. When He calls, he insists knocking at door of our hearts. He seduces us just to share his very own life for his chosen ones. Life is a gift from God. This is my strong belief. So I would like to share my story on how the Holy Spirit works in my path and how my vocation starts.

            I entered at the age of sixteen after my graduation in high school.  When I was in elementary, I saw two young nuns for the first time of my life walking on the play ground in school. They looked like angels, so attractive and very beautiful to my eyes. Secretly I did wish to become one of them. And it remained in my mind. When I was already in high school, the atmosphere had changed and completely forgot everything because of the influence of the modern world and friends around me that had conquered my innocence. But since I was enrolled in a private and catholic school, my faith was nurtured by the service offered by the staff.  We had Wednesday masses, confession, yearly recollection and other religious activities. I wasn't aware that through these I became nearer to God. And I would say, it was already the stage where my vocation was gradually growing though I didn't have any idea what was meant by vocation. So that experience in school was exactly, the seed of my vocation!

         After my graduation in high school, I started thinking about the next step that I should take for a better future. It was the stage of purification. I suffered desperately because something was happening in me…it was unexplainable. I was longing for something but nobody could understand me.   Eventually I was able to have the courage to talk with my eldest brother, sharing to him what was happening in me. During our conversation, he tried to listen to me patiently. He was quite concerned for my future and he asked me at the end if I wanted to become a nun. My whole self was shaken when I heard this word..."nun".  I wanted to shout for joy but I couldn’t.  Yet I knew deep in my heart all my burdens had gone for it was the perfect answer!  So through the help of my brother I was able to enter the convent. He helped me how to explain to our parents what was my plan. Of course it wasn’t easy because I knew our  parents really needed me, poverty was the reason and it made me sad. As a matter of fact they were my inspiration and I did promise to pray for them.

God really insisted at my young age in calling me…He was in a hurry and I just only answered.  I left everything with a strong determination and  joy in my heart.

            It was December 2000 when I entered the convent in Consolacion, Cebu(CSSTA)  and the sisters were so glad upon seeing me. Their smile and hug had welcomed and given me assurance that I was in a good hands. And thanks be to God I was able to persevere.

            I am perpetually professed now. My heart  is filled with joy, thanking God for all the blessings that my family and me  have received.  He is the only source of my life. May the Blessed Virgin Mary protect my vocation until the last breath of my life. So be it.

           God said: “If you want to follow me, take up your cross and deny yourself then follow me. If you choose to save your life, you will lose it. And if you lose your life for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, you will be saved”. (Mk 8:34-35)