"You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last" Jn15:16

Our life is full of choice. At particular period of time we all have to decide what we want to be. And that decision must be something meaningful and lasting. At the age of 13 Fr. Mornfort (ofm) and Fr. Henry Pushparaj then parish priest of my place encouraged me to become a priest. Somehow this thought of becoming a priest, became very strong in my mind because of the encouragement received. As a result, after the SSLC government exam, at age of 15, I had to make my final decision to join the seminary. My mother and all my brothers and sister allowed me (if it is the will of God) to make my own decision.

Sr. Majilla Mary the Mother superior of St. Ann's convent in my village introduced me to the congregation of the Missionaries of St. Francis De Sales (known as MSFS). I didn't know anything about the congregation. Even I couldn't make the difference between the diocesan clergy and the missionary congregations. But in the process of formation I was convinced of my vocation to religious life and continued my priestly formation.

God's Mysterious Call

My mother told me once that she wanted to abort me at the early period of conception itself. But she said somehow that plan didn't work out. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before You were born I consecrated you: I appointed you a prophet to the nations"(Jer1:5)

A Sweet Dream: I remember a dream when I was doing the second year of my minor seminary course in Pudukkottai 1987. One day I had a dream that helps me even now. The Pudukkottai parish church has a statue of crucified Jesus in a box. This statue is carried around on Good Friday in procession. For the rest of the year, the statue is placed in the church. People usually go to the statue, kneel down and pray. In my dream, I was kneeling down and praying in front of this statue. All of a sudden I noticed the eyes of the statue alone started moving just as we normally move. I called my friend Joseph to come and see the eyes of Jesus. When he came near, it disappeared. I shared with my spiritual director. He said that Jesus is calling me and He wants me to follow Him more closely. I could realize when my friend Joseph was asked to leave the novitiate. He got married now. The eyes that I saw in my dream strengthens me even now when I am bit disappointed in my ministry.

Charismatic Retreat at Potta: At the end of the 3rd year of philosophy before going for regency, our batch was asked to attend a charismatic retreat at Potta in Kerala. It was a retreat for all priests and religious. The retreat participants were above 700. Every day Fr. Nayakambarambil used to announce those persons who are healed from their sickness. I had shyness problem in Bangalore. I was finding even difficult to breath because of the nose blockage. So many days, I have walked at midnight to get some relief. On the 3rd day of retreat, Fr. Nayakamparambil announced that some are healed of their sickness of nose blockage and one among them is John Peter. I was really surprised to hear my name. I never told him about my problem. How could he announce my name and tell that I am healed of this sickness? Indeed, I was healed. Till today, I don’t have that problem, I sleep peacefully. So this healing reveals to me that God loves me more and more and he knows how to take care of me.