PASANG-AWA

PASANG-AWA

“Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.” – Matthew 15:13, NIV

Pasang-awa, or getting a passing grade out of pity, was how he was described. He was so unpromising and people expected very little from him. So after his ordination, he was assigned to an isolated village.

Thirty years later, France bestowed on him the medal of the Legion d’ Honneur, the country’s highest order of merit. Outwardly, he was the son of a peasant farmer; inwardly, he was a child of God. St. John Mary Vianney became a noted preacher and a beloved confessor. He would administer the sacrament of reconciliation for up to 18 hours a day! Tens of thousands visited his parish every year, turning it into a pilgrimage site.

What did he do with the medal he received? He sold it and gave the money to the poor.

When what we do is planted by God—whether it’s a business, a project, a ministry, or marriage—ignore the critics and keep going.

As they say, those rooted in God will never be uprooted! Marc V. Lopez (marcvlopez88@gmail.com)

Reflect: You are God’s child. Not even your sin can take that away from you. Confession makes you see the truth of who you are. When was your last confession?

Father, thank You for who I am in Christ. I am Your beloved—now and forever! I pray for the grace of the Holy Spirit to see that truth and to live it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

St. John Mary Vianney, priest, pray for us.