On 29 October 2026, I will celebrate fifteen years of priestly ordination. As I look back on this journey, the first word that comes to my heart is gratitude.
Fifteen years ago, the Lord entrusted me with the beautiful mission of serving His people as a priest. Today, I recognize more clearly that this vocation has never been my own project. It has been a journey of grace, sustained by God's faithfulness, even when I have experienced my own weaknesses, uncertainties, and limitations.
Throughout these years, one verse of the Gospel has accompanied me as the motto of my life:
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).
These words have become a compass for my decisions, my vocation, and my missionary journey. They remind me that the most important thing is not to seek personal success, security, recognition, or even the fulfillment of my own plans, but to put God first and allow His Kingdom to become the center of my life.
Seeking first the Kingdom of God does not mean having all the answers or knowing exactly where the road will lead. Rather, it means trusting that when we place God at the center, He will show us the next step, often in ways we could never have imagined. It means learning to surrender our plans to His providence and believing that our lives bear fruit not because we control everything, but because we allow Him to work through us.
My fifteen years of priesthood have taken me through different communities, experiences, and challenges. From my home diocese of Sonsón-Rionegro in Colombia to my missionary experience in Bangladesh, the Lord has invited me to leave familiar places, cross cultural, religious and linguistic boundaries, and discover new ways of living and proclaiming the Gospel.
Mission has taught me that seeking God's Kingdom means much more than speaking about Him. It means learning to recognize His presence in others, listening before speaking, serving before seeking to be served, and discovering the face of Christ in people whose cultures, traditions, religions and circumstances are different from my own.
My experience in Bangladesh has particularly deepened this understanding. Living among people of another religious and cultural tradition has taught me the importance of respect, friendship, dialogue, and patient witness. The Kingdom of God grows not only through great achievements, but also through the quiet work of love, the care of children, the accompaniment of families, the service of the poor, and the building of relationships of trust and peace.
Looking back, I can see that my journey has not always followed the path I expected. There have been departures and returns, moments of waiting and discernment, joys and difficulties, and decisions that required courage and faith. Yet, through all these experiences, I have continued to discover the wisdom of my life's motto: seek first the Kingdom of God.
Sometimes, seeking His Kingdom has meant leaving behind what was familiar. At other times, it has meant returning, beginning again, or patiently waiting for the right moment. Today, as I serve the community of Pathorghata in the newly established Diocese of Joypurhat, I am reminded once again that the mission belongs to God. I am called to be His servant, to offer what I can, and to trust Him with what lies beyond my abilities.
There is much to build, much to repair, much to accompany, and much to learn. I cannot do everything, and I do not have all the answers. But I can celebrate the Eucharist, proclaim the Word, accompany the sick, children and young people, stand beside families, foster dialogue among people of different religions, and try each day to make God's love visible in the lives of those entrusted to me.
I have also learned that priesthood is not primarily about achievements, recognition, or the number of things accomplished. It is about belonging to Christ and allowing Him to shape our hearts according to His own. The most meaningful fruits of ministry are often hidden from our eyes: a child who discovers hope, a family that receives support, a person who experiences God's mercy, or a community that learns to walk together in faith and fraternity.
As I celebrate these fifteen years, I remember with deep affection and gratitude my family, my home diocese, the bishops and brother priests who have accompanied me, the communities I have served, my friends, benefactors, and all those who have supported me through their prayers and friendship. Each has been part of my vocation story, and through each of them the Lord has revealed something of His goodness.
I also recognize that I remain a pilgrim and a disciple who is still learning. I have not always lived the Gospel as faithfully as I would have wished. There have been moments of weakness, impatience, and uncertainty. For these, I ask the Lord's forgiveness. But I also thank Him because His mercy has always been greater than my failures, and His faithfulness has sustained me along the way.
As I look toward the years ahead, I do not ask the Lord to make everything easy or to guarantee that my plans will succeed. Instead, I ask Him for a humble heart that always seeks His Kingdom first; for the courage to go wherever He sends me; for the wisdom to recognize His will; and for the grace to remain faithful in both the consolations and the difficulties of missionary life.
If these fifteen years have taught me anything, it is that when God becomes the center of our lives, even uncertain roads can become paths of grace. We may not always understand His plans, but we can continue walking, trusting that He will provide what we truly need to fulfill His will.
Fifteen years have passed, but the call continues. The mission is not finished. My prayer is that, for as long as the Lord grants me life and ministry, I may continue seeking His Kingdom above all things, serving His people with love, and placing my future confidently in His hands.
Today, with a grateful heart, I renew the offering of my life to Him.
Lord, thank You for calling me. Thank You for walking beside me until today. Teach me always to seek Your Kingdom first, to trust in Your providence, and to serve wherever You send me. May my life, my priesthood, and my mission be for Your greater glory.
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” This has been my life's motto, and this is the grace I ask for the years to come.
"Here I am, Lord. Continue to send me."
Fr Belisario Ciro Montoya
