Lenten Reflection: I’ll See What I Can Do
25 Mar 2025 | Office for Mission and Identity (OMI)
We all have experiences of asking favors, following up on results, and expecting actions from someone. Perhaps one of the responses we often get is ‘I’ll see what I can do’. While such a statement may reflect that the matter is being looked into, it is also non-committal, offering no guarantee of the outcome nor even a timetable as to when an update can be given.
When we pray, some say that there are three ways by which God can answer our petitions. He can choose to respond with a ‘No, there’s something better I want for you’. He can decide ‘Yes, but not yet, not right now’. Or He can give us a plain and simple ‘Your prayer is granted’. In all of these, God never gives us an ‘I’ll see what I can do’ that is vague, evasive or ambivalent.
Perhaps life’s challenges and the wounds in our heart may cause us to doubt that the Lord is listening, that He answers and that He attends to our cries. But if we look at our history, if we search deep into our core, if we gaze at Him on the cross, we would know that we are never unheard, we are never ignored, we are never abandoned, we are never unloved. Several times, His way is not of our ways, His time is not our timing, His choice is not our choosing but that is why He is our Creator and we are but His creations. He doesn’t just look into what He can do in a non-committed or detached way, but He actually moves as we witnessed in how He chose to be one with us where we are. And we just need to look at what He did, what He does for us, too. So in a space and time of quiet, ask yourself: what has the Lord done for me?
Lahat tayo may karanasang humiling ng pabor, humingi ng balita sa isang inaabangang resulta, at maghintay ng pagkilos. Marahil isa sa madalas nating nakukuhang tugon ang ‘Tingnan ko kung ano’ng magagawa ko’. Samantalang maaaring ipamalas nito na binibigyang-pansin ang ating idinudulog, hindi rin ito malinaw, at walang ipinagkakaloob na panahon kung kailan maisasagawa.
Kapag nananalangin tayo, sinasabing may tatlong paraan kung paano maaaring tumugon ang Diyos. Maaari Niyang ipahiwatig na ‘Hindi, dahil may mas mabuti akong inilalaan para sa iyo’. Maaari Siyang magpasyang ‘Oo, pero hindi pa ngayon’. O maaari rin Siyang magkaloob ng isang tuwirang ‘Ipagkakaloob ko ang iyong hiling’. Sa lahat ng ito, hindi kailanman nagsasabi ang Diyos na ‘Tingnan ko kung ano’ng magagawa ko’ na hindi tiyak, na pasiwat-siwat o palasak.
Marahil naidudulot ng mga hamon ng buhay at ng mga sugat sa ating puso na mag-alinlangan tayo kung nakikinig nga ba ang Panginoon, kung tumutugon ba Siya at kung binibigyang-pansin Niya ang ating mga hinaing. Subalit kung titingnan natin ang ating kasaysayan, kung susuriin ang lalim ng ating kaibuturan, kung sisilayan Siyang nasa krus at nakabayubay, mababatid nating hindi tayo kailanman hindi pinapakinggan, hindi tayo kailanman hindi binibigyang-pansin, hindi tayo kailanman hindi pinangangalagaan, hindi tayo kailanman hindi minamahal. Sa ilang pagkakataon, kaiba ang Kanyang pamamaraan, panahon, at pagpili sa hangad o mauunawaan natin subalit iyon ay dahil Siya ang Tagapaglikha at tayo ay Kanya lamang nilikha. Hindi Niya tinitingnan kung ano ang maaari Niyang isagawa sa isang paraang walang pagtataya kung hindi tunay Siyang kumikilos na napatunayan nang pinili Niyang maging kaisa at kapiling natin. At kinakailangan lamang nating tingnan din ang Kanyang naging pagkiling at mga kasalukuyang paggalaw para sa atin. Kung kaya sa isang puwang at panahon ng katahimikan, tanungin ang sarili: ano na nga ba ang ginawa ng Panginoon para sa akin?
#ateneoishome #aihlentenreflections
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