On to a New Mission
Last night, the status or the list of new assignments for Jesuits in the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus was posted in every Jesuit community. One of the entries there says, "J Haw: leaving Xavier School - going to Loyola House of Studies for theological studies."
I must admit that I felt some kind of sadness because few weeks from now, I have to leave the community that has become my home for two years. I have to leave friends who have become very supportive of my vocation as a teacher and as a Jesuit. I have to leave the teaching profession which I have discovered I am so passionate about. I have to leave the students who became my friends. I have to leave a certain kind of stability that I have enjoyed for two years.
"His assignments always have something of the provisional about them; he must remain open to the summons of obedience to another place, to another task. This detachment from stabilitas, from the definition of himself within a single family or extended set of relatives or even a particular church, culture, and place, characterizes a Jesuit. It is constitutive of his obedience, and it is his remaining celibate for the Kingdom of God that makes such obedience for mission possible. If this apostolic availability is not to cripple his affectivity, it is only because his chastity embodies a contemplative love that includes all human beings and makes the Jesuit open and able to find God everywhere. " [GC34 #238]
Despite the sadness, however, there is also a sense of peace and consolation. I might be leaving the place, the profession, the events and the people, but I bring with me a whole gamut of experiences that will help me in my vocation of becoming a Jesuit Priest. There is a sense of peace because the connection with the people I met was all the more strengthened by the fact that I am pursuing this kind of vocation.
Today, I together with my fellow regent went on a picnic with our co-teachers to celebrate our friendship and to celebrate this "moving on to a new mission". We went on a resort in a semi-rural town in Bulacan and enjoyed each other's company the whole day. We shared stories, played games and enjoyed a Filipino provençal food. I wasn't able to escape their request to cook for the group since they used the magic word for nostalgic appeal to emotion-- "for the last time." But since, we already have so much food that day, I decided to prepare a salad for the group.
Seafood Garden Salad
Ingredients:
for the salad:
Rommaine Lettuce (washed and pat dried)
1/2 cup tuna flakes (in brine; drained)
1/2 cup Pitted Prunes (cut into half)
1 cup diced Ripe Mango
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
for the dressing
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. rosemary leaves
3 cloves garlic (minced)
6 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
I must admit that I felt some kind of sadness because few weeks from now, I have to leave the community that has become my home for two years. I have to leave friends who have become very supportive of my vocation as a teacher and as a Jesuit. I have to leave the teaching profession which I have discovered I am so passionate about. I have to leave the students who became my friends. I have to leave a certain kind of stability that I have enjoyed for two years.
"His assignments always have something of the provisional about them; he must remain open to the summons of obedience to another place, to another task. This detachment from stabilitas, from the definition of himself within a single family or extended set of relatives or even a particular church, culture, and place, characterizes a Jesuit. It is constitutive of his obedience, and it is his remaining celibate for the Kingdom of God that makes such obedience for mission possible. If this apostolic availability is not to cripple his affectivity, it is only because his chastity embodies a contemplative love that includes all human beings and makes the Jesuit open and able to find God everywhere. " [GC34 #238]
Despite the sadness, however, there is also a sense of peace and consolation. I might be leaving the place, the profession, the events and the people, but I bring with me a whole gamut of experiences that will help me in my vocation of becoming a Jesuit Priest. There is a sense of peace because the connection with the people I met was all the more strengthened by the fact that I am pursuing this kind of vocation.
oOo
Today, I together with my fellow regent went on a picnic with our co-teachers to celebrate our friendship and to celebrate this "moving on to a new mission". We went on a resort in a semi-rural town in Bulacan and enjoyed each other's company the whole day. We shared stories, played games and enjoyed a Filipino provençal food. I wasn't able to escape their request to cook for the group since they used the magic word for nostalgic appeal to emotion-- "for the last time." But since, we already have so much food that day, I decided to prepare a salad for the group.
Seafood Garden Salad
Ingredients:
for the salad:
Rommaine Lettuce (washed and pat dried)
1/2 cup tuna flakes (in brine; drained)
1/2 cup Pitted Prunes (cut into half)
1 cup diced Ripe Mango
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
for the dressing
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. rosemary leaves
3 cloves garlic (minced)
6 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
- Arrange the lettuce in a salad bowl.
- Top the lettuce with the rest of the salad ingridients (except the cheese) in this order: mango (and/or orange) cubes, tuna flakes, pitted prunes and pine nuts. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Top the salad with parmesan cheese.
- Prepare the dressing. On a sauce pan, combine garlic, rosemary with balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil and reduce to at least half the volume or until it achieved a syrupy consistency. Put a dash of salt and pepper according to taste. Pour in olive oil after the mixture has cooled down.
Some suggestions:
- If you want to serve the salad for a big number of guests. Serve the salad in buffet style with the dressing on the side. This will give your guests a free hand on how much dressing they want to put into their salad. This will also make life easier for you.
- Follow the same procedure for individual plating. Decorate plate with the balsamic dressing. You may also want to use shredded parmesan cheese instead of grated one.
- Try the following substitutes for your salad.
- substitute mango with chico(zapodilla) fruit
- substitute pine nuts with cashew nuts
- substitute tuna flakes with steamed crawfish meat, shrimp or squid (you may also want to use a combination of different steamed seafoods.
Comments
Praise the Lord that God has opened a new door for you, and has blessed you with such a wonderful time at Xavier School.
Will you continue to share with us on the Jesuit Gourmet J Haw?
Actually, three more jesuit gourmet will move on to their next mission. But luckily, we have the wonders of internet and information technology...we can still continue with our blogging... and with our passion!!!