On the liturgical memorial of Blessed Father Francesco Spoto, and within the context of the centenary of his birth and baptism, as well as the sixtieth anniversary of his martyrdom, I, Manolo Frias Silván, have definitively given my “yes” to the Lord. The rite took place during the Holy Mass presided over by Archbishop Emeritus of Catanzaro-Squillace, Monsignor Vincenzo Bertolone, at the parish of Santa Maria della Perseveranza in Rome.
The “follow me” that Jesus Christ extends to all those whom He calls is not a command, but an invitation, one that elicits a free response from the person being called. Indeed, He said, “If anyone wants to follow me…” This same “follow me” was also addressed to Saint Matthew (Levi), who was seated at the tax collector’s booth when the Lord called him. Similarly, I, too, had to leave behind a job related to taxes and money. I must confess that responding to this call was neither immediate nor easy, but with the help of several priests and religious sisters, I gave my first “yes.”
In the process of maturing this first “yes,” I sometimes asked the Lord, “Why did You choose me?” And through Sacred Scripture, He answered me: “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast before God” (1Cor 1,27-29). And further, in the face of my weakness, He reminded me of His fidelity and mercy: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2Cor 12,9).
From the homily of Monsignor Vincenzo Bertolone, I would like to highlight a particular reflection on the vows:
“The vows are not abstract concepts but divine life within us. There are three of them, but they signify the whole, because they encompass the entirety of life in every aspect and detail. We follow the evangelical counsels to free our hands (poverty), to free our hearts and bodies (chastity), and to free our freedom (obedience). Free inwardly and free from attachment to possessions, power, pride, selfish and possessive love, and irrational desires.”
The Lord has brought me to this moment of my definitive “yes,” known as “Perpetual Profession,” but in this, the most important reality is that the Lord accepts my offering and promises that He will always be with me, that His word will never fail.
He has also revealed to me the charism of the Cusmanian family, the legacy of Blessed Father Giacomo Cusmano, a man of God who recognized Jesus Christ in the poor, the sick, and the outcasts of society. Following in his footsteps, I have decided to consecrate my life to the service of the Kingdom of Heaven, particularly in the spiritual and corporal care of the poor. It is by God’s providence that my first religious profession of the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience took place on September 24th, and four years later, I professed perpetually, so that, illuminated by the example and testimony of the martyr Father Spoto, I may understand the extent to which I must renounce and the depth to which I must offer my life.
I am aware that the perpetual profession of the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience does not signify the end of my formative journey but rather opens me to many other challenges, which, trusting in God’s grace and assistance, I must face.
Pray for us, the consecrated, that the Lord may grant us the grace to live as true witnesses of His love in the world, loving and serving Jesus Christ in the person of our most vulnerable brothers and sisters.
Brother Manolo Frias Silván
