40 Days of Lent: Day 22
15 Mar 2023 | Office for Mission and Identity (OMI)
40 Days of Lent: Day 22
Life is often depicted as a journey. Several parallels include road blocks that can pose challenges to our progress forward. There can also be lamp posts that guide our way. Traffic lights may be present, too, that can signal if we need to take momentary pauses, slow down or proceed. And in any journey, crossroads can be found when we need to make decisions on which direction to turn.
Jesus himself encountered several crossroads. What could have happened if he decided to succumb to the temptations of the devil? Where could he have ended up in had he chosen to bow down to persons of authority who wanted to exercise power over him? How could his story, our story, have been different if he elected to turn away from the mission entrusted to him by the Father? We can be, we ought to be, thankful that our Lord remained on the course of loving us, being our savior, and living out his life as the true son of God.
Because we can never see what lies ahead, we only know the blessing of the choices we made in the past with hindsight. So there may be some gift in looking at the crossroads which could have been pivotal to what exists in our life right now. What crucial decisions led you to how you are at present? Which directions you took turned you to be where you are today? Hopefully, when we recall such moments, we feel peace and contentment that we are where it is best for us. And if there is some re-routing that needs to be done, may we find comfort that God will still be there in the same way that he has always been. All throughout our journey, especially during crossroads, may we fill our fate with faith in the Lord who chose only one path – that of loving us.
40 Araw ng Kuwaresma: Ika-22 Araw
Kadalasang nilalarawan ang buhay bilang isang paglalakbay. Kabilang sa ilang pagkakatulad ang mga balakid sa daan na maaaring humamon sa ating pagpapatuloy. Maaaring mayroon ding mga tanglaw na nagsisilbing gabay. At maaaring magkaroon din ng ilaw-trapiko na naghuhudyat kung kailangan nating huminto sandali, bumagal nang kaunti, o umusad na. Sa kahit anong paglalakbay, mayroon ding mga sangandaan kung saan kailangan tayong pumili ng tatahakin.
Nakaranas din si Hesus ng ilang sangandaan. Ano kaya ang nangyari kung pinili niyang magpatukso sa demonyo? Saan kaya siya humantong kung nagpasya siyang yumukod sa mga taong nasa tungkulin na nagnais na maging mas makapangyarihan sa kanya? Paano kaya naging iba ang kanyang salaysay, ang ating salaysay, kung nagdesisyon siyang talikuran ang misyon na ipinagkatiwala sa kanya ng Ama? Maaari tayong magpasalamat, nararapat tayong magpasalamat, na pinili ng ating Panginoon ang pagtahak na ibigin tayo, na maging tagapagligtas natin, na isabuhay ang pagiging tunay na anak ng Diyos.
Sapagkat di natin mawari ang mga magaganap sa kinabukasan, nababatid lamang natin ang biyaya ng ating mga pagpapasya sa pamamagitan ng pagbabalik-tanaw. Kung kaya maaaring may kaloob ang pagtingin sa mga sangandaang naging paraan para sa mga umiiral sa buhay natin ngayon. Anong mahahalagang pagpapasya ang nagdulot sa kung paano ka sa kasalukuyan? Alin sa mga tunguhing pinili mo ang nagbunga sa kung nasaan ka? Kapag binabalikan natin ang mga ganitong sangandaan, nawa nakadarama tayo ng kapayapaan at kagaanan ng loob na narito tayo kung nasaan ang pinakamainam para sa atin. At kung mayroong pagpapalit ng landas na kailangang gawin, nawa masumpungan natin ang kapanatagan na naroon pa rin ang Diyos kung paanong lagi siyang kapiling. Sa kabuuan ng ating paglalakbay, lalo na sa mga sangandaan, puspusin natin ang ating kapalaran ng pananampalataya sa Panginoon na pumili ng iisang landas lamang – ang ibigin tayo.
#ateneoishome #aihfortydaysoflent #aihday22oflent
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