40 Days of Lent: Day 20
17 Mar 2023 | Office for Mission and Identity (OMI)
40 Days of Lent: Day 20
We all have hobbies – activities we like to do regularly because of some gain that we get. And we have preferences and favorites, those that we pick over other options that may be available. When it comes to temptations, mistakes and sins, we may also have those that we consciously or unconsciously choose or make over and over. History can repeat itself even when it comes to the things we actually should not do.
Whether from our self or from others, we could gather lessons on what to already avoid because they are hurtful and wrong. But it seems that it is part of our human limitation that we can sometimes have a tendency to forget or ignore what we already know. And If we could easily learn and move away from our own ways of transgressing, perhaps the Father would not have had need to send His own son to save us. Because of love, God saw it important and necessary to offer to relieve us of what ails and diminishes us.
The Lord has been doing everything for us, including the fact that Jesus came to save us. We now beg for the grace to contribute to our own healing. What can easily tempt you against what is right? Which sins and mistakes could you have been doing repeatedly? How do you often turn away from your best self? To acknowledge these is not to punish our self for the past or for our weaknesses. Instead, we hope to be moved towards more humility, forgiveness, and the resolve to be better. Christ spent his life on earth to be with us, to understand us deeply and to love us completely. With our awareness of our habitual and favorite sins or mistakes, may we realize as well the truth that gives reason for our renewal: no matter how many times we repeat our failings, the Lord will continue to forgive and provide us new chances. God’s love is wider, deeper and more encompassing than any of our shortcomings.
40 Araw ng Kuwaresma: Ika-20 Araw
Lahat tayo ay may libangan – iyong mga gawain na hilig nating gawin sapagkat may pakinabang tayo. At mayroon tayong mga gusto at paborito, iyong mga nais natin sa lahat ng mga maaaring pagpilian. Pagdating sa mga tukso, pagkakamali at pagkakasala, marahil mayroon din tayong mga pinipili o ginagawa nang paulit-ulit, malay man o hindi. Maaaring umulit ang kasaysayan maging sa mga bagay na hindi natin dapat ginagawa.
Sa sarili man o sa kapwa, maaari tayong makakuha ng mga aral ukol sa mga nararapat nang iwasan sapagkat mapanakit o mali ang mga ito. Subalit tila bahagi ng ating limitasyon bilang tao ang posibilidad na malimutan o hindi bigyang-pansin ang mga nabatid na. At kung madali sana tayong matuto at makaiwas sa mga pamamaraan ng pagkakasala, marahil hindi na kinailangang ipadala ng Ama ang Kanyang anak. Dahil sa pag-ibig, iniadyang mahalaga at nararapat ng Diyos na maghandog ng lunas sa nakasasakit at nakababawas sa atin.
Ginagawa ng Panginoon ang lahat para sa atin, kasama ang katotohanang dumating si Hesus para iligtas tayo. Hinihiling natin ngayon ang biyaya na makapag-ambag sa sarili nating paghilom. Ano ang madaling nakaaakit sa iyo upang hindi gawin ang tama? Aling mga kasalanan at pagkakamali ang maaaring inuulit-ulit mo? Paano mo kadalasang nilalabag ang pinakamabuti mong sarili? Ang pagkilala sa mga ito ay hindi nangangahulugang pagpaparusa sa sarili para sa nakalipas o para sa mga kahinaan. Sa halip, hinahangad nating maudyok sa higit na kababaang-loob, kapatawaran at kalinawan na maging mas mainam. Inilaan ni Kristo ang kanyang buhay upang makapiling tayo, upang higit na maunawaan tayo at upang lubos tayong ibigin. Sa pagmamalay sa ating mga pagkakasala at tukso, nawa mapagtanto din natin ang katotohanang nagbibigay ng dahilan sa ating pagpapanibago: na kung ilang ulit man tayong magkamali, muli’t muli rin tayong patatawarin at bibigyan ng panibagong pagkakataon ng Panginoon. Mas malawak, mas malalim at mas ganap ang pag-ibig ng Diyos kaysa sa mga pagkukulang natin.
#ateneoishome #aihfortydaysoflent #aihday20oflent
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