Personally, the words of Father Joseph Allamano attract me and guide me on how to do things without showing off: that is, “the good must be done well without noise”. Fr. Allamano teaches me to do everything, even ordinary things in extraordinary way. It is quite obvious that in today’s world everyone would like to show off that I am the one who did this or that, in order to be known and recognized by the people. Doing something without showing off is a sign of humility and is allowing God to be seen instead of me being seen. That means, everything I do, I am not doing by my own strength or ability but through the help of God. That’s why Saint Paul says; “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20). That is how Fr. Allamano wants us to live, that is, to live by following God’s guidance and in everything we do we should do as Jesus told His disciples; “So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done. ” (Lk 17:10).
The Catechism of Catholic Church is calling all the baptized to live the virtue of humility which is the foundation of all virtues (CCC 2554). In the world of science, technology and globalization, where everyone would wish to be seen. For our beloved founder Joseph Allamano that is really different because for him the good which is done well will identify us and in which God will be glorified, and human being will be sanctified. He also teaches me that, through all those things, especially the little things I do, that is what will give me holiness. In other words, Fr. Allamano shows me a good way to seek holiness is through ordinary circumstances, that is, in our everyday life. As a worker, as an office, as a farmer in the fields and in any other fields we should do them well knowing that all is for the glory of God and then God will bless us.
Saint Joseph Allamano teaches me that holiness is not only found in prayers, but in all that I do well, that means being a true follower of Jesus Christ, imitating him by living the values of the Gospel. Baba Allamano gives me a good opportunity to reflect well the teachings and the life of Jesus Christ who is the icon and the best example of humility by humbling himself, being born by the woman, sharing the human nature and lastly dying on the cross for us all as the great sign of love and humility.
Let’s now turn our eyes to his namesake that is Saint Joseph the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus Christ, who despite the fact of being the foster father of Jesus, remained humble and silent. When Joseph discovered that his fiancée Mary was pregnant, he decided to leave her secretly; “He did not want to humiliate her”. But after the vision given through the dreams that the pregnancy was by the power of the Holy Spirit, he took Mary in love and cared for her, even on the journey to Egypt. He did all of these without showing off.
Fr. Allamano still continues to teach me to live the virtue of humility of the Virgin Mary, despite the fact of being the Mother of God, she remained humble always, she did not show off herself, she did not feel proud of herself that I was the one who carried the Savior despite carrying the Savior continues to be humbler. Fr. Allamano teaches me that the closer I am to God, the humbler I should be, also the more successful I am, the humbler I should be.
So even I, in my Christian and missionary life, Father Allamano, invites me to humble myself so that I can draw others to Jesus, and that is the heart of Christian and missionary life; to humble yourself and go to those who do not yet know Christ (missionary Ad gentes). Just as Jesus himself said “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (Jn 12:32). To show a humble heart and to do everything without noise, Fr. Allamano is vividly example that is why despite the fact that being the founder of the Congregation, with his humble heart said that “I was not the one who founded this organization but the Virgin Mary Consolata”. That is the greatest humility of doing everything good without noise, a place where others would like to show off, Baba Allamano didn’t like to show himself, he put himself in the second place.
That is to say as a follower of Christ am not supposed to display what I have done but to let everything good I have done to identify me. That’s why even our Master Jesus Christ was identified himself from what he did, as the Holy Scriptures says: “And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak” (Mk 7:37)
That is what identified Jesus Christ. Not only as a missionary but as a Christian, Joseph Allamano teaches me that what I do is what identifies me and not only identifies me but also identifies Christ who lives in me. Saint Joseph Allamano teaches me to do everything without noise, which means allowing God to be manifested instead of taking the place of God or the glory of God, I must do them in the best possible that reveals that I am a child of God and since I am a child of God, I must be like God. To be like God means to do what God Almighty wants me to do.
Fr. Allamano teaches and invites me that my joy may be manifested in whatever I do well, let my joy be manifested in it. And that’s why a life of holiness is the sum of all life and all that I have done in its entirety as Jesus said to his disciples: “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Lk 10:20) This means that everything we do, it is our treasure in heaven so we don’t need to boast or show off that we are the ones who did it and that is why he told his disciples not to rejoice that the demons are subjected to them but to rejoice because their names are written in heaven.
Finally, the words of Our Beloved founder Saint Joseph Allamano give me daily reflection on my life because everything I do should be done well, perfectly, without noise, and that is God’s invitation to us. Through this inspiration of the gospel, I clearly realize that doing all things well without noise is the calling of every baptized. In a special way I as a missionary who desire to follow God closely am called in special way to live and to know that: Good deeds should be done with intention, not for attention. I clearly acknowledge that Fr. Allamano is a great gift not only to me, to our congregation but also to the universal Church.