MANILA, Philippines - Before Jesus Christ in his life, there was Bruce Lee.
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, who marked his silver jubilee with a Mass at the St. John Metropolitan Cathedral in Dagupan City yesterday morning with the four sisters of President Aquino in attendance, said the martial arts legend was instrumental in his decision to enter the priesthood.
“God called me to follow Him and He called me through Bruce Lee. Before I heard the words of Jesus ‘Come follow me,’ I first heard the words of Bruce Lee, ‘Be yourself and learn the art of dying,’” the 50-year-old Villegas recalled.
The young Villegas was an avid reader of Lee’s philosophy: “Be flexible. Be formless. Be fluid. Be shapeless like water. You put water unto a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle.
“Water can flow or it can crash or creep. Be water my friend. Water has the continuity of movement. You must free your ambitious mind and learn the art of dying. The cup realizes itself only by being empty. Be yourself.”
Lee’s words disturbed him and he wanted to passionately learn about the art of dying, so he decided to enter the San Carlos Seminary along EDSA in Makati City.
Villegas recalled: “Our high school principal said that was where I could learn the art of dying like my idol Bruce Lee.”
It was in the seminary when he heard his spiritual director say that 2,000 years before Lee, there was another wise man who came from Galilee who said, “If the seed dies, it bears fruit.”
Villegas added: “Bruce Lee said, ‘Success flows from dedication and self knowledge.’ What was success for Bruce Lee was holiness for Jesus. Bruce Lee only saw success and nothing beyond it. Jesus pointed beyond success and opened the door to perfection. Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, Jesus taught. What is the way to success? What is the way to perfection? Bruce Lee and Jesus shared a common road map — sacrifice.”
The young Villegas then decided to follow Jesus and sacrifice his life for Him.
“Among all men in society, it is the priest who must be an expert in the art and science of dying. This is the dying that opens more lives. This is the dying that brings bright hope. This is the dying worth celebrating. I celebrate today 25 years of dying for and with the Lord,” he said.
Addressing his brother priests, Villegas said their vocation is a great blessing and can be a great temptation, too.
Fifteen bishops and 200 priests, along with the President’s sisters – Ballsy Cruz, Pinky Abellada, Viel Dee, and Kris Aquino – attended the 25th anniversary of the archbishop’s sacerdotal ordination.
“If you want sincerely to take care of your vocation, three things are necessary: celebrate Mass daily, pray the complete Liturgy of the Hours faithfully every day and go to confession monthly,” he said.
He said, “A day without Mass is a day without breath. If you feel that way when you are unable to offer a Mass, you have begun your journey to mystery.”
“Celebrate the Mass with utmost reverence, vigilant not only for validity, but for fruitfulness. Keep the fire in your heart each time you offer the Mass; this way, you can set other hearts on fire also,” he added.