Today, I find myself standing at a beautiful and profound milestone—celebrating my 40th birthday, a journey filled with grace, lessons, struggles, growth, and countless moments that quietly shaped who I am becoming… 21,038,400 minutes of existence.
In Sacred Scripture, the number 40 carries immense significance. It is a number of preparation, transformation, and transition. It represents the time needed to undergo a journey of faith before entering into the fulfillment of God’s promises. Noah endured forty days of rain, Israel wandered forty years in the desert, Moses spent forty days on Mount Sinai, and Our Lord fasted forty days before beginning His public ministry.
Looking back over the last four decades, I can clearly see how God has used every season—the mountain peaks of joy and the wilderness of trials—to shape my heart, refine my faith, and call me deeper into His service. Among His greatest blessings has been the gift of family. I am profoundly grateful to be the husband of a loving wife and the father of three wonderful children. They have taught me lessons in sacrifice, patience, joy, and unconditional love that no book could ever teach. Through them, I have come to understand more deeply the vocation of Christian family life and the responsibility of leading by example in faith and charity.
As I step into this new chapter, my heart overflows with gratitude, particularly for the gift of running Epistles. When this platform was conceived, the vision was inspired by Apostolicam Actuositatem, the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity. The document teaches that every baptized Christian is called to participate in the mission of the Church by bringing Christ into every sphere of life. It reminds us that the apostolate is not reserved to clergy and religious alone; it belongs to all the faithful who seek to sanctify the world through their witness and service.
This vision also brings to mind the words of St. Paul to the Corinthians:
“You yourselves are our epistle, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God.” (2 Corinthians 3:2–3)
An apostolate is not merely a project or a job; it is a response to a divine sending. For me, Epistles.online has been the canvas through which the Holy Spirit allows me to share messages of hope, truth, and faith with a world that deeply longs for them. Yet this milestone has reminded me that the most important “epistle” God wishes to write is not on a website, but in my very life.
At 40, my prayer is not for comfort or worldly success. Rather, I pray for the grace to become a clearer and holier epistle from Christ to everyone I meet. I pray that the next chapter of my life will be written with deeper charity, stronger faith, and an unwavering commitment to evangelization and the salvation of souls.
To everyone who has been part of this journey—my family, my small circle of friends, and my community of readers—thank you for walking with me, and making this path meaningful.
As I blow out the candles today and look ahead to the next decade, I humbly ask for your continued prayers. Pray that I may be granted the wisdom that comes with maturity, the zeal of an apostle, and the humility of a servant.
The first forty years were chapters of preparation. I look forward with hope and confidence to whatever the Author of our faith chooses to write next.
With gratitude and prayers,
Jonel
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