Sie sind auf Seite 1von 2

Rule is not an End by Itself

By: Sem. Richard T. Galera

Seminarian is formed in the seminary to be integral. To follow the four aspects of

formation is the pursuit in everyday living no matter of what level you are in as long as you hold

this identity. In the formation, there are rules and regulations set to promote order and to

uphold common good within the community. This order creates peace and harmony in

seminary community. However, the rules are not created for the reason of its existence alone.

It is created to aid the seminarians have a good life. Good life here means: making everyone

virtuous. In Christian perspective, this means that we are formed to become holy people. It is

what Jesus Christ wants us to live, living a holy life.

Thus, the rules then are not the ends in itself but the means to attain the very purpose

of the seminary. In the walks of life, there are no such absolute mean presents in the history. All

means are prone to mistake and failure but what upholds man to be virtuous is the

commitment of himself as created in the image and likeness of God. Living a life of virtue and

commitment is the end in itself. Thus, the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle said that man

seeks the highest good and must live in a virtuous life. The highest expression of virtue is love.

Like in the seminary, my action must be motivated by love not just to follow the rules; however,

rules are necessary for every institution to maintain harmony and tranquility. It is because if our

existence in the seminary is sustained only by the rules and regulations, the tendency of self-

improvement is unrealizable. We reduce our identity to a mere reactors rather than

transcendental being created in Love. The seminarians will turn into a reactive machine that
design to execute the action that is set to him. The programs are the rules, we are the

computer, and the programmers are the formators. I wish it will never happen.

What I am trying to connote is that love must be the rationale behind our vocation not

the rules and regulations. If the judgment of my vocation is based on the rules I violated, then,

what is the difference to a PMA students.

Thus love must be above the law, and it is love that makes me good seminarian and

motivated me to live in the seminary. Love makes the saints holy. It is what our Master, Jesus

Christ, said: Love conquers all; love God above all; love your neighbor as you love yourself.

And as seminarian, the challenge to love must be the dominant factor that makes me

good not the laws; love must be the one that sustains my priestly vocation not the laws. It is

because if I forget to love my vocation the tendency to violate the rules and regulations are

very present. To make judgments based on rules are not in contrary; however, the worst

possibility behind the consensus of it is the deterioration of self improvement. Seminarians

potentials are put into restrictions to the worst that there is nothing improvement at all. Such

concern leads to immaturity to the worst possible. We all know immaturity leads to nothing.

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen