Bakit Iba ang Aura ng mga Seminarista?

Nag-post ako ng luma kong picture sa Facebook, as it is customary dahil nakiki-throwback Thursday ako. Ito yung napili ko kahapon:

A friend of mine commented: Bakit kapag seminarista, iba ang aura? 

Napaisip ako. 

Naaalala ko na madalas kaming lumabas noon as a batch, dahil sa mga requirements sa school. And we wore what was the fashion statement back then. Hindi kami dugyot tignan. But somehow, everywhere we went, people always thought that there was "something" about us. Something different. 

We went to this school deep in Laguna where they were shooting the hit show Tabing Ilog in order to observe some of their classes. We didn't tell anyone that we were seminarians. As soon as we got out of the van, they all said, uy nandiyan na ang mga artista bisita. We went to each class and observed their teachers and students. The principal met us in her office after the activity for a little chit-chat. Five minutes into our conversation, she said:: "Ang bait n'yo naman, bakit 'di na lang kayo mag-pari?" 

Kaya ayun, sinabi na lang namin na seminarista kami. 

Sa dinami-rami ng pinuntahan namin, halos pare-pareho ang sinasabi nila: Parang may kakaiba sa inyo. 

Parang may kakaiba sa inyo.

Kahit anong pilit naming itago, hindi namin maitago. Sabi nga sa Matthew 5:14-16:

 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

So, what really sets the seminarian apart, and why do people see something different in them? Bakit nga ba iba ang aura ng seminarista? Based on my experience as a seminarian for 7 years, ito ang masasabi ko: 

1. Daily Mass and reception of Holy Communion, Frequent Confession - We received the sacraments frequently; Holy Communion daily, confession at least once a month. Nakatulong din na may pari lagi na available para sa kumpisal. Si Fr. George Schwartz, SDB na aming confessor ay isang tanyag na siyentipiko sa Germany. Naaalala ko, noong buhay pa siya, kahit gaano siya ka-busy sa kanyang laboratory, puntahan mo lang siya at sabihin mong mangungumpisal ka, ititigil niya ang lahat ng ginagawa niya at ibabalik niya ang puso mo sa puso ng Diyos. 

Here's a funny video about confession. 

2. Daily Rosary, and Liturgy of the Hours - Mapadpad man kami sa ibang lugar, tinuruan kami na dalhin lagi ang rosaryo at breviary para makapagdasal kami kung saan man kami abutin ng oras ng dasal. 

3. Innocence - This is not to say that we were all pure and chaste, but inside the seminary there was a constant effort to maintain chastity. The time this picture was taken, I have never been kissed yet, never had a romantic relationship yet, and have not been influenced by pornography yet. I speak only for myself. Ewan ko lang dun sa iba d'yan. Hehe! 

4. They made men out of us - We were trained and treated like soldiers because we were to be God's army in the coming spiritual warfare. I cannot begin to tell you how seriously deprived of good food we were back in the minor seminary in high school. I will give you a clue: (Cue music!) yung sachet ng ketchup ng McDo, kinakain namin patago. Ang ulam kadalasan dati, kropek at itlog na maalat, o isang pirasong hotdog (hinahati ko ng pahaba para isipin ko dalawa yung ulam ko). There was very little extra food, but the little we had, we shared with everyone. 

Everyday, trabaho kami 2 hours a day except Sunday, at madalas mabigat yung trabaho, katulad ng pagtibag ng building at yung mga bato sinasako at nililipat sa ibang lugar. Tapos magtataka yung ibang tao, bakit ang papayat ninyo???

Hindi uso ang mataba sa amin dati; ang pumasok sa seminaryo nang mataba, katulad ko, pumapayat din. 

 Bawal kami makinig ng music o magtago ng cassette player. Bawal mag-tago ng chichirya o extrang pagkain (this is where we got creative - kapag gutom ka talaga, hahanap at hahanap ka ng pagtataguan.). Madalang kami umuwi, at isang beses sa isang buwan lang kami pwedeng dalawin. Wala pa kaming cellphone or internet noon kaya ang paraan lang para makausap ang mga mahal mo sa buhay ay sa telepono o sulat. Gising ng maaga, aral, trabaho, laro, dasal, aral, kain, tulog. Ganyan ang schedule ko sa loob ng pitong taong nandun ako.

Marami pang ibang bagay na nagpatibay ng aming loob na sa susunod ko na ikukwento. 

Of course, being a seminarian has its perks. Nakalibot ako sa maraming lugar sa buong Pilipinas dahil sa mga camping days namin sa seminary. Libre kami sa karamihan ng seminars na inatendan namin. Once every quarter, we were brought to watch a theater play or listen to the orchestra sa Cultural Center of the Philippines, para daw cultured kami. Lahat libre. Still, the life of the seminarian is not an easy one. If someone would ask me, babalik ka pa ba? I will say, no, masaya na ako dito.

I wish I could tell you all the things about seminary life para malaman ninyo bakit iba ang aura ng mga seminarista. I hope I was able to give you a brief glimpse of what goes on inside those walls. At para sa mga seminarista na nakakabasa nito, stay committed to prayer and discernment. Always obey your superiors. Shine, so that they may see your good works and glorify God in heaven. Para naman sa mga gustong pumasok ng seminaryo, I encourage you to think and pray about it.

I invite everyone to pray for your seminarians. They will be our future pastors. It is not enough that they have a different aura from us. What matters is that they answer God's calling for them, and in these confusing times, it is sometimes difficult to hear God's voice. Let us never forget to pray for all of them, including our priests.