A honeymoon novitiate indeed!

by Rakesh Mondol, SJ

I remember being told during my first probation that novitiate is the honeymoon period of religious life.  To be honest I was not quite convinced.  Today as I look back at my novitiate life, it has indeed been so.  It was a period of wholesome growth especially in spiritual and emotional aspects.

When I began my novitiate I had a lot of fears and doubts.  But today I feel serene in the hands of God.  My faith has deepened and the person of Jesus has become somebody close and real to me.  I believe, everything that happened in my life was according to the plan of God.  The long retreat helped me to refocus and redirect my life drastically.  The various experiments that I went through helped me to grow stronger in my vocation.  I still cherish those beautiful moments of concretely experiencing God’s presence.  I enjoyed the companionship of my friends working and living together.

There were moments of doubts and darkness as well.  Sometimes it was difficult to go on yet I feel it was God who held my hand to lead me on.  It was through grace and understanding of my Novice Master that I overcame many hurdles and difficulties.

Today, as a Jesuit, I am filled with joy and gratitude for the wonders the Lord has done in my life.  I have no words to thank Him.  The only thing that I can do is to be faithful to him each day and respond to Him generously in my everyday living.  I am grateful for my vocation and for the grace He has given me to commit myself to Him.  I am grateful to so many Jesuits who formed me and continue to do so.  May God continue to lead me through the years of my formation.