I admit: one reason why I go to a Sunday church is because of a priest's charismatic spirit. If a priest lulls me to sleep with his sermon, I look for another schedule, or I totally skip my obligation.

I have a friend who is a priest. I once attended a mass celebration that he officiated. After the mass, I wrote him a short note saying that not all people are priests and not all people have that big a capacity to save souls. Whenever he's in the pulpit, he should take that opportunity to wake people from deep slumber, not slumber people to sleep.

The last I heard, he's now charismatic in the pulpit.

In Ahmadi Church in Kuwait, there is an Indian priest whose sermon is really engaging and full of Spirit. I think his name is Father Kyle.

And then someone told me that whenever we attend mass, we shouldn't be looking for convenience. We attend mass because we were 'invited by God'. Oo nga naman. It may sound corny to you but I believe that if it wasn't God's will, it will not be done. Life for me is so intricate and the existence of the universe unexplainable that I go to the simplest argument: Someone Greater than us had a hand on everything. We didn't just happen; we were created.

So back to the reading, this parable of a king's feast is where the line 'many are called but few are chosen' (Verse 14) came from. I used to think that it only applies to priesthood -- out of the many who enter the seminary, only a handful end up as priests.

And then I realised it could also pertain to us. All of us are called, but not all of us are chosen. Why? Because we never answer the call. We ignore it and busy ourselves with this life's treasure and pressure.

How do we know when God is calling us? I believe when the gut feel tells us. Or perhaps when someone prods us to do something, and deep in our hearts we know that it's the right thing to do. Or when reading the Word, a vision comes to us.

And when does God call us? Everytime. In our work, in bed at home, outside jogging. God doesn't ask much from us really. He only wants us to acknowledge Him, to make our life a life of prayer, to be in constant communion with Him, to make Jesus our Lord and Saviour.

Bakit nga ba napakahirap gawin ito?

Prayer: Give us a humble heart, oh Lord. And help us see our brothers in Your own eyes.