Sr. Ma. Rosa Butron, MCSH

"There is a season for everything, a time for giving birth; a time for dying; a time for tears; a time for laughter; a time for mourning and  a time for dancing..."  Ecclesiastes 3:1,2,4.

           Every season will bring memories of the past.  This reminds me of a little girl named Salie, born and raised in a small island. Everywhere she turns, she recalls the gift of her childhood. She will always remember the joys and the hidden sorrows, which she discovered in the early stage of her existence.

She was 4 years old then, when this little girl asked the woman who cared for her since the beginning of her childhood.  “In which room in the house did you give birth to your little Salie”?  The woman did not answer her. Instead, little Salie felt the warmth of her embrace wrapped around her little body, and a whisper lingered in her sensitive ears saying ... “Salie, we love you and we care for you.  Though my womb was not your home even in a single while,  you made a home in my heart”. Little Salie did not understand this.

After several years, she became more curious why some people were teasing her that she came from a half-broke bamboo. By this time she asked the husband of the woman why people teased her that way.

That was the time when the good couple revealed to little Salie, that she was only their adopted daughter and that they were her grandparents; they were the parents of her real father. Her mom and dad left her when she was only two years old. But they considered little Salie a gift to their family, for they were not blessed with a daughter.

 Was it her dying moment? ...was it her time for tears and mourning?... for she was helpless  to know the reason why her parents abandoned her.

Yes, little Salie did experience pain. The pain of being rejected caused her to cry and mourn. The painful reality brought many twists, bends and struggles in the path that Salie threads.

It was not the end of everything; because she was given the opportunity to meet and to be with her real family.

Some years later, she was engaged in a boy-girl relationship.  In fact her boyfriend was ready to marry her in spite of her young age. She enjoyed being with her good friends, and was active in school activities.  She inherited the religiosity of her grandparents and was very active in church organizations. Above all, she had a devotion to the Holy Eucharist and her day was not complete if she could not visit the Blessed Sacrament.

 Did Salie find meaning in all these things?... Did she find fulfilment? In some way, yes, in some way no! She continued to search for more meaning in life.

She felt that, something was lacking. She looked for something more. She wants to give and empty herself for the benefit of others.

Her longing for something more was realized; when she heard a soft voice from within telling her...Come follow Me, ...I called you by your name ... you are mine...you are precious before My eyes I love you, Yes I love you. Salie answered: Thank you oh Lord, for calling my name. I am ready to do everything.  Oh! How I wish I could be with You forever my whole life through. I am willing to leave my family and boyfriend. And I offer you my life, my future and everything... I love you too.

Salie’s childhood was the foundation of her life at present. She realized that there is not only a season, but a reason for everything. A time for giving birth to a new life... a time for dying to an old self... a time for tears and mourning  - All these are opportunities to grow in love and faith.

         From the time the little girl  said YES! to the Call; a call to the religious way of life, she was no longer Salie, but... SR. MA. ROSA, MCSH.