“Little by little, a conversation among friends and everything changed”

I come from a very normal family; there are no strange things in my vocation, no voices speaking to me, no appearances of the Virgin, no. God was guiding everything in my life in a very normal and natural way, almost without me noticing.

I studied all my life in schools of the Regnum Christi, I was always part of ECyD and Reino, with an apostolic life with its ups and downs like any normal young person who gets bored with spiritual things. I studied Tourism Business Administration at Anáhuac, worked one year at Disney World and another year at Starwood in Mexico City.

Ministries, then: Mega missions during Holy Week for 10 consecutive years, becoming a kind of spiritual aspirin, which gave me permission to forget about God the rest of the year; a year as a collaborator in El Salvador after finishing university (this changed my life). The Congress of New People was my favorite apostolate because of the party, friendships, and I believe it was key in my youth to understand myself better and to know I was capable of loving, in a healthy way. It coincided with my first love and the wonderful years of high school, the age when you are the center of the universe and nothing matters.

Everything was gradual; from New People and Mega Missions I moved on to dedicating a year of my life as a Collaborator, two years working in Tourism (Disney World and Starwood) which left me unsatisfied but not unhappy, and the loss of my two best friends (Betin and Cors) in a car accident in my second year of university. All of this was key to the idea of: “becoming a priest” and loving much more, “becoming a priest” and helping young people, “becoming a priest” and saving souls by leading them to heaven, to eternal happiness where there is no more suffering.

I embarked on the adventure of my vocation in 2011 at the age of 25. I remember an incredible conversation with my friends at night, in the jacuzzi at a friend’s house in Acapulco, with a bottle in hand. That morning, I had just resigned from my job and felt completely free and happy. We talked about those young topics: the future, what family expects from you, girlfriends and friends, ideal partners, dreams and plans. The topic of vocation came up and silence invaded me; I thought they knew something, that I was showing something… A week later, I was announcing to my friends and family that I was going to the candidacy in Monterrey to see if God wanted me to become a Legionary priest. Everything happened so quickly, literally my life changed in a week; I knew I wouldn’t go back home, although I refused to accept it.

I have been in formation for 10 years and I am about to be ordained a Legionary priest. Now I am the Vice-Rector of the Vocational Center in Colombia. Almost all my friends are married and have children, my two brothers have built their lives as a Neurosurgeon and a Lawyer, both happily married. All of this was unthinkable 10 years ago in that conversation in Acapulco with my friends.

I can only say that God has given me so much in this life: a family that loves and cares for me, friends who are unconditionally there, Legionary brothers in whom I have found great friends. God has not taken anything from me; He only asked me to give Him everything to give it back to me with much more. God has not just been good to me; He has been splendid, infinitely good and loving. And although He has not spared me from difficulties, I assure you He has always been there for me and has never let go of my hand; everything is resolved; reality surpasses fiction.

The love of my parents and brothers, the love of my lifelong friends with whom I grew up and learned to live, the love of my brothers and friends who are Legionaries and have taught me so much, are a reflection of the infinite love that God has for me. How infinite is God’s love that this story is just beginning.

I hope I can also be a reflection of God’s love for young people, for needy families living in poverty and inequality, for those who lose a loved one, for those learning to live and not understanding themselves, for those afraid of a vocation or simply to be God’s love for the one who sees me pass by. The people I love are there, dazzling me with God’s love, for which I ask the Lord that I too may be able to give, even if it’s just a ray of His love.