MS New Teachers and Staff Recollection: Finding Healing and Purpose in Times of Change

In our lives, we encounter experiences that demand change. Nothing in this world is absolute. Everything has a beginning and an end. Change is not always a gentle force that arrives quietly and asks for permission. More often, it comes unexpectedly, disrupting our comfort and challenging the version of ourselves we have grown accustomed to. To fully understand why change needs to happen, we must confront its harsh truths: the wounds it leaves behind, the identities it shatters, and the growth it demands from us. Along with these changes come trials and experiences that test our faith. There are moments when pain becomes so overwhelming that we begin to question whether God is truly present in our lives. Worse, if He is present, we ask ourselves why He would allow us to endure such suffering. These questions are not signs of weak faith. Rather, they are reflections of our humanity, our desire to understand the purpose behind the struggles we face.

The recollection was, I believe, something that we needed to heal the wounds we have silently carried for so long. Despite lasting only a day, it provided a space for reflection, renewal, and honest encounters with ourselves. In the midst of our busy responsibilities as educators, we are often so focused on serving others that we forget to tend to our own spiritual needs. The recollection reminded us to pause, to listen, and to recognize that healing begins when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable before God. It was a gentle reminder that even the deepest wounds can become places where grace enters and transforms us.

One statement that resonated deeply throughout the recollection was: “God’s love is prodigal, excessive, and extravagant.” These words challenged the common notion that God's love is measured or conditional. Instead, they revealed a God who gives abundantly, forgives endlessly, and welcomes His children home regardless of how far they have wandered. In many ways, the recollection felt like a gathering of prodigal sons and daughters. We came carrying different stories, burdens, disappointments, and unanswered questions. Some of us had drifted away because of hardships that made us doubt God's presence. Others carried wounds inflicted by people, circumstances, or even by their own mistakes. Yet despite our differences, we shared a common longing: the desire to be reminded that we are loved. Like the prodigal son in the Gospel, we discovered that God was never waiting to condemn us for our failures. Instead, He was waiting with open arms, ready to embrace us and restore us.

Another example of God's extravagant love is found in Jesus Christ. His love was not merely expressed through words or promises, but through sacrifice. Despite knowing the suffering that awaited Him, Jesus willingly embraced the cross out of love for humanity. He chose to endure pain, rejection, and death so that we might receive salvation and new life. Yet His story did not end at the tomb. Through His Resurrection, Jesus defeated death itself, proving that darkness, suffering, and even death do not have the final word. His victory reminds us that no burden is too heavy, no wound is too deep, and no situation is beyond the reach of God's redeeming love. The selfless love of Christ continues to invite us into a relationship founded not on fear, but on grace, mercy, and hope. In a world often marked by selfishness and division, Jesus remains the perfect example of a love that gives without counting the cost and embraces all people without exception.

In the midst of hardships, many of us naturally seek God's presence. Often, it is through our struggles that we come to know Him more deeply. The more we know God, the better we understand who we truly are. We begin to realize that our worth is not defined by our achievements, failures, or the opinions of others, but by the simple truth that we are loved by Him. The recollection reminded us that our calling as educators is not accidental. We have been entrusted with a mission that goes beyond teaching lessons and completing responsibilities. We have been given the privilege to shape lives, inspire hope, and become instruments of God's love for others. In recognizing this calling, we are reminded that our purpose is rooted in something far greater than ourselves.

As we continue to practice the love of God in our daily lives, we are challenged to extend that same love to others. God's love is not meant to remain within us; it is meant to be shared through acts of kindness, compassion, understanding, and service. Every interaction becomes an opportunity to reflect His presence. As educators, this means creating environments where students feel valued, respected, and loved. It means choosing patience over frustration, understanding over judgment, and hope over despair. Through these simple yet meaningful actions, we become living witnesses of God's love in the world.

 All in all, the recollection served as a powerful reminder that our journey of faith is not meant to be walked alone. Together, guided by God's extravagant love, we can become witnesses of His goodness and partners in creating a more humane and just world.

Article by: Ms. Althea Occidental   Photos by: Ms. CJ Sapao