Jerome Loganathan a/l Amudalingam

Melaka-Johor

I lived a care-free life full of everything this world could offer. I was like any other 30-year-old trying to have a good happy life. I worked hard and partied harder. Life was too short to be sad. I guess God said 21 years of fun in Singapore was enough. Things started to take a different turn in my life. There was a sense of restlessness in me that I did not understand, hence the quest began to fill this void. All the partying did not make any sense in my life anymore. Quite honestly nothing did. That’s when I started to think about God again in my life. Someone who was there, someone who I conveniently mortgaged for the love of the world.

I started to attend mass daily, which led me back to a sense of peace. It was not until I attended a retreat that I felt the total healing power of God. This process soon led me to 3 questions., What are you doing? When are you doing it? How are you doing it? I started to be active in church once again and it was a good feeling, little did I know that it was only the first step. The Almighty had other things planned for me.

When the thought of being a priest came to my mind, I freaked out! Me a priest? Too sinful, no way! Especially after the way I have led my life. I was not proud of myself. This thought lingered on and off in my mind until it was all I could think about. I started to speak to a few priests and they greeted my thoughts with a big smile, while discerning with them on this thought, I discovered St Augustine, I was shocked to learn about his past life and how he had experienced God’s love and forgiveness. His life was a true inspiration for me. I began to read about other saints too like St Ignatius of Loyola, St Philip Neri, St Patrick, St Jerome and many more.

I am sure you have heard of this famous quote “Church is not a museum for Saints, but rather a hospital for sinners!” It has been quoted in many ways using the same words in many different arrangements, this was something that sank in deep into my heart. This was the starting point, this was the initial boost, the fuel that started the engine going.

Being obedient to God is crucial in this journey, this is what I have realized after being in the seminary for 3 years now. Don’t ask me why I joined the priesthood, ask me why am I still in the journey, that’s a better question. Nothing is easy, the journey is hard, tough and real! You fall, you wake up and you move on because you know there is someone by your side; this someone will never let you down, only you can let him down, as you journey in the seminary you will get to know Christ in ways I can’t explain! You have to come and experience it for yourself.

I am still in the seminary because I know God is Love, and that love is real., Why? Just look at the cross! To give up one’s life for another, that’s true love my friends!

Jerome