Nine Questions for Christmas – Sixth One
18 Dec 2024
The acronym VUCA has been widely used recently, pertaining to our world that is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. And we all know that such descriptions are true. Trends keep varying. Authority and power are always shifting. We are all constantly moving. In the midst of all these, we may find ourselves lost and grappling.
Through the changes, is there solace in the unknown?
We cannot control everything. And there are so many aspects of life that we can never understand. More so, we do not have the capacity to predict the future. But this is where the gift of God’s presence, embodied in the Messiah’s coming, becomes more meaningful. For while we do not have this VUCA world in the palm of our hands, the Lord holds us, lovingly, in His.
It is a reality that we would not know how 2025 will be. Or where we will be next Christmas. Or what time we will even get home due to the heavy traffic. But from the most mundane to the deepest volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, we can be sure of one thing because we were shown concretely by the Emmanuel: God will see us through and beyond any shifts and transitions, God will never abandon us, God is steadfast in loving us.
Ang acronym na VUCA ay madalas nang ginagamit sapagkat tumutukoy ito sa ating mundo na volatile (paiba-iba), uncertain (walang katiyakan), complex (masalimuot) at ambiguous (di malinaw). At totoo nga ang mga paglalarawang ito. Paiba-iba ang mga uso. Nagpapalitan ng kamay ang kapangyarihan. Lagi tayong kumikilos. Sa lahat ng ito, maaari tayong maligaw at mangapa.
Sa mga pagbabagong nararanasan, may kapanatagan ba sa di natin mapanghawakan?
Hindi natin mapamamahalaan ang lahat. At maraming aspekto ang buhay na hindi natin kailanman mauunawaan. Dagdag pa rito, wala tayong kakayahang mahulaan ang bukas. Subalit dito higit na nagiging makabuluhan ang biyaya ng presensya ng Diyos, na isinakatawan sa pagdating ng Mesiyas. Sapagkat wala man sa ating mga kamay itong mundo, nasa palad naman tayo ng mapagmahal na Panginoon.
Realidad na hindi natin mababatid kung anong mangyayari sa 2025. O nasaan kaya tayo sa susunod na Pasko. O kahit nga anong oras tayo makakauwi dahil sa buhul-buhol na trapiko. Ngunit mula sa pinakamababaw hanggang sa pinakamalalim na mga pagbabago, di-katiyakan, kalituhan at kawalan ng kalinawan, maaari tayong makasiguro sa isang bagay na pinatunayan ng Emanuel: itatawid Niya tayo sa anumang pagbabago, hindi Niya tayo kailanman pababayaan, naninindigan ang Diyos sa pag-ibig Niya sa atin.
Can we allow ourself to hope and dream?
Have we experienced what being cherished means?
Racing through life, can there still be more?
Is it possible that something better is in store?
Spirits searching and yearning ask: do we have a home?
Through the changes, is there solace in the unknown?
#aihninequestionsforchristmas #ateneoishome
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