Facing the Mirror

Just among us brothers, we have been teasing ourselves on who's the most narcissistic. I have my own gauge as to who that would be by measuring the time they take in front of the mirror. The most detached, and some may contend with this, are those that just take a quick glimpse and run off to their own schedules. The opposite, the most attached, are those who take an awful lot of time to brush their hair, fix their polo's, and view their every possible angle in front of the mirror.

Of course, everyone has his own ritual in front of the mirror, and my gauge is not the best. In fact, it is just a source of fun for me observing how other people behave in front of the mirror. My bed is nearer the mirror now that we swapped bed spaces in our dormitory. We actually need to see ourselves face to face in order to believe that there is something worth fixing in us.

This struck me because unless we can see the reality of who we are, we can never accept and address any problem head on. The inability to face the inner mirror is a fruit of inner fear, the fear of being face to face with our inner selves. We fear that what we would only see a hideous creature but at the same time we wouldn't also know that in the mirror is just an innocent child with a little blemish of dirt across his face, unless we take the courage to stand in front of the mirror.

So, I ask myself what do I see in front of my own mirror?

The Salesian Lay Brother

Bro. JP and I have been discussing terms and labels last night. We were asking ourselves how should we call those in formation just before the novitiate. Are we to call them aspirants or seminarians, postulants or pre-novices? It was then that I learned from this jolly brother that, as for Don Bosco Formation Center, we call them aspirants and postulants in sensitivity to those aspiring to become Salesian Lay Brothers.

Not everyone is aware that there are two kinds of Salesians: the clerics and the lay brothers. The clerics are those in view for the holy orders, or in short those who want to live their Salesian vocation as priests. The lesser known group are the Salesian Lay Brothers, those who want to live their Salesian vocation in the lay state or in their field of profession and won't become priests in the near forseeable future.

I have always admired our Salesian Lay Brothers. Most of them, if not all, are known for their hard work and dedication. They work silently, albeit they are plagued with questions of when they will become priests since they have been called brothers for decades. They are known for their forte in their respective fields and they have worked for the young like horses without the limelight of priesthood. Such humble and silent dedicated work inspires me a lot. In my novitiate, I thought for months before handing my application to first profession on which path I should take. I would very much like to spend my life as a Salesian Lay Brother but God has other plans for me.

Several of the Salesians I deeply admire and idolize are Lay Brothers. One of my closest friends here in the Post Novitiate is a Lay Brother. Coming back from a national convention he came home silently and upon noticing him back, I could not help myself but welcome him with a tight hug. These breed of Salesians translate Don Bosco's Da Mihi Animas in the lay state, working for young people in their own field of work. You can see them in the shops, in classrooms, in choirs, in soccer fields, in offices, and at the chapel, faithfully living their consecrated life for the love of God and of young people.

This touches a deep chord in me because the Salesian Lay Brother offers everything who he is, his person and skills, and lives like an ordinary professional while living his vows of obedience, chastity, and poverty out of his belief in the mission of Don Bosco. Clerics and priests enjoy attention because they wear the cloth, but the Salesian Lay Brother works in the background without much fuss. They don't wear the clerical, the cassock or the stole. They go about in plain clothes, but if you look carefully, you notice that they are wearing the Spirit of Don Bosco. Kudos to the Salesian Lay Brothers!

Schwarz Football Club

Saturday mornings in the Post Novitiate are more lively than the other days, not because the brothers are high on caffeine, but because in the adjacent Savio field young people are running back and forth with their football. It is energizing to hear the shouts and laughter of these young sportsmen as they play their hearts out. What is called noise by grumpy old women is music to my ears.

They young people come early in the morning at around 6:00 as we are about to end our mass in the chapel. If I am not mistaken, they are members of the Schwarz Football Club here in Don Bosco Canlubang. Some Saturdays, high school members come as early as 5:00 in the morning to train. Their own determination and sacrifice has always challenged me to do better in my religious life especially when I fall into laxity and complacency.

It is interesting how I am able to draw energy from these young people. I think this is the blessing of the Salesian life, that as I spend my life for the young people entrusted to my care, their own energy and optimism replenishes mine starting a positive cycle.

Sports also has its educative aspect. I have seen the energy and effort those young men who come early in the morning put into their football drills. It teaches them discipline, perseverance, self-control, and many other values applicable to real life. I can relate because I have changed since I embraced sports when I entered the aspirantate. And this is a big challenge for me to be at home with sports so that I can give it to the young when my time for practical training comes.

As I type this short essay, I still could hear the shouts and laughter outside. I'm tempted to join them but I would stand out tall against a sea of small boys with their footballs.