I am a Volunteer of Jesus Because Jesus Volunteered to Save Me
Whenever a teacher asks for volunteers for anything, whether it be for the prayers, for the recitation of our school’s Vision, Mission, and Core Values, whether it be for the selection of topics to report and to whether who will be the one to report or recite first, I don’t usually have the confidence to put my name to the table. There is just something about it that makes my stomach turn. It’s like if I would raise my hand or say I would volunteer, the abyss of uncertainty would consume me. Doubts would often fill my head with thoughts like, “Would I be able to pull it through?”, “Maybe I would be a total mess if I did”, or “I can’t, so I just won’t”. It happens on other things as well. Whenever I see things that I know something should be done about it, like for example, when there is a trash on the sidewalk, or when the stairs need some sweeping, when the washstand area is muddy, when I see someone that needs someone to talk to, or when someone does something to someone else just to make them down. I often ignore it because I don’t want to be seen as a showoff or a goodie two shoes when I did something about it because sometimes people treat you funny when you’re like that. It is very human for me to think of that. That is why I see Jesus as someone extraordinary.
My concept of brother before wasn’t very pleasing because I used to hate my brothers when I was younger. With that being said, I had considered Jesus more as a friend because I am most comfortable with my friends besides my parents. I had seen him as a companion that listens to my worries, pains, doubts, and even witnesses my joys, my triumphs, and my eureka moments when I was a kid. With Him, I was calm, at peace, and my mind is clear. I know that he keeps on reminding me that I am perfect the way I am and that I am enough. How I thought before that it was the limelight of having Christ in my life. But I was proven wrong, and I say this because of what I have gotten to become conscious of last Sunday.
Last Sunday, we once again welcomed outsiders to celebrate the Holy Mass in the Chapel of the Forgiving Lord in Tuloy sa Don Bosco. For health and safety protocols, the residents of Tuloy would celebrate the Mass first and after them, another Mass will be celebrated with the non-residents along with the choir members and other mass servers assigned that day. It was the first time that I was late for the mass of the residents, but I calmed myself down with the thought that I would still be able to attend the second mass since I am a choir member. I went inside the chapel and Fr. Vester was already saying his homily. I was not able to comprehend the first topic that I was able to hear from Fr. Vester because I wasn’t able to hear half of that part of the sermon. My mind came clear when he started talking about the volunteers. He said that volunteers have a good heart because they help the ones that are marginalized. Because the Lord knows that we would die with just our own, He brought Jesus to save us. Now that we’re saved, there is one thing that Jesus asks from us. He asks us to be an instrument for His plans. The Lord is looking for volunteers that would lead the other sheep to paradise. We can lead other people to His greatness by simply being there for them, doing what is right, and everything else that makes you a good friend. When Fr. Vester said, “Who would like to volunteer for God’s plan?” The sight in the chapel after that gave me hope to our community, which is a village of youth with interesting backgrounds. Knowing their stories and their quirks and all, it was just wholesome that all of us raised our hands simultaneously, with different levels of enthusiasm on the way they raised their hands. If I was Fr. Vester, I would be optimistic for the future that the moment promises to be. We all want to go to heaven and we want others to go to heaven with us as well.
What am I trying to imply here? I am just saying that Jesus had been a good example for us. In my own reasoning, that may be one of the reasons why He came down from heaven, to show us how to live according to God’s will. I knew it all along that to volunteer takes a lot of courage, but He made me see that I would have the courage that I need from the goodness that I intend to foster in that act that I would volunteer into. Now, I am trying my best to follow Jesus’ example. It isn’t easy, and it's a matter of trial and error. But what I can call a progress for now is that I am trying. As long as I have Jesus as my role model, a human free from sin, I know that what would turn out for me would be something great. Maybe we can’t see it now, but I know it will end well for all of us, just trust Jesus.