Being Vulnerable
Reflection on Luke 10:38-42* | Feast of St. Scholastica
We know very well this story of two sisters with different temperaments. Martha is described as the busy one. She busied herself serving and attending to the needs of Jesus and his disciples. In fact, she became too busy and distracted that she started complaining about her sister, Mary. Mary, on the other hand is too relaxed, sits comfortably at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him. We can say that both of the sisters have the good intention of serving Jesus, but Jesus affirmed that Mary has chosen the better part.
As I contemplate this scene, I was struck most at the image of Mary sitting at the Jesus’ feet, listening to Him attentively. It struck me because personally, I felt that this is the same invitation for me and perhaps it’s an invitation for you too, my brothers, during this time of ‘waiting’. This is the invitation to stay close to Jesus as Mary did. Mary knew that what Jesus most wanted at that moment was her attentive presence. So that when Jesus needs something, she can respond to Him immediately. Like Mary, we are invited to choose to stay close to Jesus and to listen to Him more intently than ever– so we can better respond to Him.
Now that all of us have gone trough the interviews and psychological exams for our application to the novitiate, we are invited to stay close to Jesus. After busying and giving much of ourselves to the process of application, we are invited to choose the better part of staying close to Him, rather than allowing the distractions of fear, impatience and restlessness distract us. The Lord bids us to entrust to him our concerns and anxieties because he is trustworthy and we are invited to choose this better part.
In my own personal experience of this waiting, I can describe the experience closest to the state of vulnerability. It is an experience of helplessness, of lack of control…a free fall. And yet, deep within is a conviction that the Lord is faithful – that in and through all of these experience of grappling with uncertainty, he remains and will always remain with me. It is more of an issue of me remaining in Him. This feeling of vulnerability is an invitation to remain close to Him. We are invited to choose to remain in Him even if it is coupled with discomfort towards the lack of clarity and uncertainty. We are invited to choose to remain in Him even if things won’t go our way ad even if it means getting hurt in the process. I guess this is what it means to be indifferent: we present to God our deepest longings and desires and yet we let Him take control, to take charge and to do His will by His good pleasure. I think Fr. Arrupe most fittingly described in his own words this vulnerability that we are being invited to, something we can also own and reflect about. In his last prayer, he said. More than ever I find myself in the hands of God. This is what I have wanted all my life from my youth. But now there is a difference; the initiative is entirely with God. It is indeed a profound spiritual experience to know and feel myself so totally in God’s hands.
Dear brothers, let this be our prayer too: that we may be totally vulnerable in the hands of God – who is trustworthy and most loving. Let us pray that he may give us the grace to stay close to Him, to teach us to remain in Him, that he may push towards greater trust, confidence and love, that we may be held tight and close in His arms of love. Amen. - TJ Sunga
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!
* Gospel reading for the Solemnity of St. Scholastica





Salamat Panginoon,
Reflection on Lk 6:6-11