Lenten Reflection: Ordinary Days
14 Feb 2024
For many of us, today is an ordinary day. Unlike yesterday when we celebrated Valentine’s Day and began the Season of Lent with Ash Wednesday, there seems to be nothing extraordinary with today. With any time after something special happens, we may feel that the ordinary can be more boring, perhaps unremarkable, even a let-down or diminishment.
Truth be told, our life is filled with more ordinary days than special occasions. But this does not mean that we are unimportant, uncared for or unloved. In fact, each ordinary day is a meaningful and unique opportunity to experience great and deep things. And we do, because daily, even when nothing grand seems to be happening, God saves us and loves us through the simple but necessary blessings of food, friendships, possibilities, time and creation. We are special to Him in both the extraordinary and ordinary days of our journey.
The Lord offered us salvation and love in a very concrete and special way when he gave Himself up on the cross. Even with that, he has never ceased to care for us and nurture us in the ordinariness of everyday. So it may be good to ask ourself: How are you allowing yourself to recognize God’s saving grace in your life? In the seeming mundaneness of daily grind, where do you experience the Lord’s special affection for you? What is the invitation for you as regards deepening faith and trust in the everyday?
Para sa marami sa atin, ordinaryo itong araw na ito. Hindi katulad kahapon kung kailan ipinagdiwang natin ang Araw ng mga Puso at sinimulan ang Panahon ng Kuwaresma sa pamamagitan ng Miyerkules ng Abo, tila walang natatangi ngayon. Sa anumang panahon matapos na may maganap na kakaiba, maaari nating madama na ang ordinaryo ay nakakabagot, marahil walang kapansin-pansin, o isang kabiguan o kabawasan.
Ito ang katotohanan: mas hitik ang buhay natin sa mga pangkaraniwang araw kaysa sa mga kakaibang kaganapan. Subalit hindi ito nangangahulugan na hindi tayo mahalaga, pinangangalagaan o iniibig. Katunayan, bawat ordinaryong araw ay isang makabuluhan at kakaibang pagkakataon upang makaranas ng mga malalim at dakilang bagay. At nangyayari nga ito, sapagkat araw-araw, bagaman walang malaki o kakaibang nangyayari, inililigtas at minamahal tayo ng Diyos sa pamamagitan ng mga payak ngunit kinakailangang mga biyaya ng pagkain, pagkakaibigan, posibilidad, panahon at paglikha. Tinatangi Niya tayo sa kakaiba at karaniwang mga araw ng ating paglalakbay.
Hinandugan tayo ng Panginoon ng kaligtasan at pag-ibig sa isang espesyal at konkretong paraan nang isinuko Niya ang sarili sa krus. Kahit pa isinagawa na Niya iyon, hindi pa rin Siya huminto sa pangangalaga at pagkalinga sa atin sa pagka-karaniwan ng pang-araw-araw. Kung kaya maaaring mabuting tanungin: Paano mo pinahihintulutan ang sarili na kilalanin ang biyaya ng pagliligtas ng Diyos sa iyong buhay? Sa tila nakababagot na pagsisikap bawat araw, saan mo nararanasan ang natatanging pagtingin ng Panginoon para sa iyo? Ano ang paanyaya sa iyo kaugnay ng pagpapalalim ng pananampalataya at pagtitiwala sa pang-araw-araw?
#aihlentenreflections #ateneoishome
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