On Fulfilling God’s Calling

What gifts has the Lord given you for the building up of yourself, the Church and the community? How have you developed them and what fruits have they borne?

Early in life, I wanted to become a doctor. With my God-given intelligence and His resources through my parents and financial assistance in my senior year (Winthrop Co.), I graduated and underwent trainng to become an OB-Gynecologist to provide medical care and guidance for women’s problems.

I thought then that this was the purpose and way that God planned for me to serve Him and the community. However, the Lord had other plans for me.

Early in my training, I was sidetracked and asked to teach in medical school. I did it not because I was really interested, but to help a former mentor due to lack of faculty members at that time. Juggling between residency and training was a hectic time but it gave me joy.

As the years passed, I realized that the Lord has revealed His other plan for me: to teach and train future doctors to be competent, committed and compassionate. Being a teacher gives one the opportunity to pass his/ her gifts, knowledge and skills to others, sort of a multiplier effect of your gifts in a unique way for each student. This was a fulfilling realization for me.

As the years passed, I was surprised to realize that The Lord has a much wonderful revelation for me. When Father Jerome Marquez, SVD requested me to head the 4S Biblical program of Sacred Heart Parish, I was given an opportunity to exercise the gift of teaching on a more fulfillng manner, sharing what I have learned about the beauty of God’s Word and the fruits it produced in my life.

And so began an exciting and fulfilling journey of sharing the riches and depth of God’s Word not only for individuals but for various communities through 3 publications, again through the help of Pauline Publications and Fr Jerome Marquez, SVD.

Of course, the process of discovering God’s gifts to me was not a bed of roses; there were trials and tribulations along the way, as a sort of pruning process to make me bear more fruits. But God truly enables whom He calls.

“Live a Life worthy of the CALLING you have received” ~Ephesians 4:1

Lord, thank You for the gifts that You have given me to make my life fruitful by sharing these gifts with others. For building myself, my family and the Christian community as I continue to inspire and share these gifts with love, patience, mercy, and creativity, especially during these times. Let my heart be open to Your future plans, to share the Good News of Your Divine Love to others, until I finally come home to You, the Source of all Love, and bountiful gifts. Amen.

About the Guest Author: J.M. Lumitao is a professor and past Chair of the Departments of Anatomy and Bioethics at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, and a former secretary of the Southeast Asian Center for Bioethics. She is also a co-author/editor of “Beyond a Western Bioethics: Voices from the Developing World (Clinical Medical Ethics)”; author of Lector’s Guide in Proclaiming God’s Word Year A, B, C and Sa Puso ng Lumang Tipan 1, 2 and 3. She served as Lector/Commentator of the Sacred Heart Parish Shrine in the Philippines since 1989 and Head of the 4 S program (Sacred Heart Sacred Scripture Study) of the parish since 2011 to present.