A RESTLESS MAN
“I am always ready to give my life to God for the salvation of mankind”. (Bishop Ramon Zubieta Y Less O.P)
There are thousands of reasons why people are restless. The reality tells us in our world today many people are restless because several reasons. One of them is facing financial problems which become a hindrance for people to study further and secure a good job.
Many families have no enough food, no shelter and even some lost their life especially during this pandemic time. Many people are facing different kinds of violence and there are many fights in the family; between brothers and sisters, between tribes, and even countries.
Many people are using their power and money to manipulate the poorest, disrespect the right of others, destroy their lives, and even destroying the lives of others creatures. Some are sold to slavery, prostitute, and drug addicts. This is the reality we are facing. We experience different kinds of darkness which bring RESTLESS AND NO PEACE IN HUMAN’S HEARTS.
Bishop Ramon Zubieta our Founder, is a restless man because he is one of Christ’s faithful disciples who willingly preach the Gospel, he has a strong faith in the Lord. His life is an instrument of peace and justice to the people in the world, especially in his Missionary activities.
He is restless because he loves the poor and has a concern for the least, the lost and the last. He has a compassionate heart; he senses all the feelings of the needy and the cry of every human’s heart, especially the people whom he served.
He was restless when he sees the reality with his own eyes on how the poor and the marginalized people became slaves in their land in the jungle of Maldonado.
As we all know that the first mission in the Amazon was a great challenge. The roads are crooked, the river of Madre de Dios was dangerous, the place has no electricity, no internet, no any others facilities to develop the society.
We could say nothing but God worked through Father Zubieta. He took the initiative with total self-surrendering to the Lord. He started drawing the map, learning the natives’ language, adjust the food and the culture and above all he embraced the mission with love, valued the natives as they are and appreciate them with a sincere heart. His Missionary life inspired many of our sisters to continue the mission.
I am grateful for this opportunity to write a reflection about Fr. Ramon and I would like to share with you my experience on how the spirit of Fr. Zubieta accompanied us.
In 2017 with my two other companions arrived in Manila; we started our formation as aspirants. Two weeks after, an incident happened. That night when I slept, I dreamt about Fr. Zubieta came to our room. He wore the chasuble of a bishop; he was coming closer to my bed. In that dream, I also saw Mo. Ascension with some sisters they were eating in our veranda, I can hear the sounds of the plates, so I woke up but I was scared so much with my dream.
It was midnight suddenly, the electric fun fell like thunder; the room became bright when the fire starts burning from the electrical wires to the ceiling. We tried to put off the main switch but we didn’t know how and where it was located. We tried to put off the burning fire using our pillows to throw them into the fire. The fire sprinkled, I got hurts little but thank God finally, the fire stopped.
From that event, I am convinced that the promise of Fr. Zubieta is true” as he said: “My spirit is always with you” Yes, his body is melted still his spirit is giving life to us.
I had an encounter between Fr. Zubieta and myself in my dream. Yet it brings much trust and hopes that his spirit will never abandon us, especially when we face disasters and the dangers that come ahead of us. For me, he is an angel, a companion of Saint Michael. He is watching over us always.
Father Zubieta has done great things for us. He showed a good example; always take the initiative to help the poor, using his imagination and creativity to open the way to the jungle, to reach out and enter into the poorest area.
We are ending our second year in the novitiate; it is an appropriate time for me to deepen my faith in Christ. As the new mission is approaching, through the intercessions of Fr. Zubieta, I may embrace and love the footsteps of our Father Founder Bishop Ramon Zubieta Y Less O.P.
By: Sara Mendonça
Novice of the Province of San Luis