By Br. Romualdo Delos Reyes Jr., O.Carm.
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“But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”
Love is what we come to know, our desire and our longing in life; love also teaches us to be confident in facing our fear of the unknown future of our journey. In the Gospel of Matthew 13:1-23 the story of the parable of the sower reminds me of my journey and ascent to Carmel, that my desire and longing to follow the Lord has many obstacles that will try and challenge my conviction to walk the path of God. And that leads me to question myself “where does my heart belong?” This is a question that I desire and long to answer now: Is it still Jesus or someone else?
To be a Carmelite is to be in Allegiance to Jesus Christ and to serve him faithfully with a purity of Heart. According to the Carmelite constitution, our hearts belong only to God and this may reflect in my actions and mission as a Carmelite.
The way of life of a Carmelite is to ponder the Word of God day and night, so that his actions may become a resemblance of heaven here on earth, by liberating the captives and speaking the truth. It is through our contemplation of the Word of God and the signs of the times that we may give birth to Jesus who is the way the truth and the life and not of our own self.
My vocation is the sign of my witnessing to the risen Christ, it is through the process of transformation that we conform ourselves to what our good model say in his words and deeds in the Gospel, only in Jesus must be the focus of every Carmelite because there our hearts belongs; and our mission is to spread that image of Jesus Christ in us to others, to give also transformation among his people. My life in Carmel is a long journey that never ends; a journey with Jesus who will continue to mold my heart into the likeness of his heart.
To be a Carmelite is to be in allegiance to Jesus Christ, who listens and being in the midst of the people of God, to be the prophetic witnesses of Jesus Christ.
Br. Romualdo Delos Reyes Jr., O.Carm. is from Catbalogan, Samar. Before entering the Order, he worked as a Human Resource personnel at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City. He finished his Bachelors in Philosophy at the St. Vincent de Paul College Seminary in Calbayog City, Samar. He professed his vows in Carmel in 2018 and is currently studying at the Inter-Congregational Theological Center of the Our Lady of the Angels Seminary in Quezon City.