These past few days I have been watching and listening to some news of devastation brought by climate changes in the world and its impact on mankind most especially our beloved country was not spared by typhoons, earthquakes and man-made calamities. It was so sad to realize how the world is undergoing nowadays due to our recklessness and of course by nature’s wrath. Every news on television and radio of deaths and destruction brought me tears in my eyes and hoping and praying that these calamities should cease for a while. But believe it or not, it was part of God’s divine plan although He doesn’t want to punish us but rather get a lesson from these tragedies that we have experienced. Some of us may blame God ‘why us?’ but did we sometimes utter ‘why not?’ This is a great lesson that God wants to impart to us. God is not a god of punishment but a God of love, of compassion and that gives another chance that allows us to endure these painful moments of our life to live and love Him again, to look onto ourselves once more and see where we are lacking thereof.
The violence and clash in Zamboanga, the strong southwest monsoon in Luzon, the earthquake in Cebu and Bohol and the strong typhoon that hit Leyte and Samar are something to reflect most especially this coming Christmas season. Are we all ready to receive Him again with all our heart? Or are we just busy preparing more on materialistic preparations by buying gifts and food for personal consumption rather spiritual and more meaningful preparations to welcome Him in our hearts? There are so many pointers that we can learn from the following tragedies: it’s an invitation to reflect, to pray and to take action.
To Reflect. Have you tried to quiet yourself for a while especially on morning when you wake up and evening before you sleep? This is something where we sometimes neglect to do so because we are so occupied by so many things in life and sometimes too worried on what will happen the next day. We are so worried about today and tomorrow about what we’re going to do in order to satisfy our urges and 'caprichos’. Don’t get me wrong but there’s nothing wrong of thinking about all ourselves but this is just a reminder for us to look for a moment of how well we did for a day. Reflection helps us to turn back and make a brief review and looking what went during the course of our day. A moment to look back at the areas that we need to improve, to reject, to revive and to continue whatever good works we did. I remember during my seminary days, we are required to have at least an Examen of Conscience on daytime and evening. This gives us opportunity to take a look the day we have gone through. So far, how we manage to handle some things that need our attention and to keep on improving on our personalities. Reflection is an invitation and an opportunity to briefly turn ourselves for a moment in quiet disposition.
To Pray. At the end of doing reflection,we pray on something that re-energize our spirit. Prayer often times lack in our lives and just believing more on our personal intuition without the divine assistance from above. Prayer helps us to recover from the pain we felt, the joy outpouring from our heart and a profound thanksgiving to God that He has given us another day to live by. Let the grace of God flows into our hearts with much gratitude and a promise to make each day dedicated to Him and its glory that it will bring. Prayer is a good avenue for this. The most effective communication we can do in order to inform God of how grateful we are, of how painful we felt in a day and how hopeful we are for the coming days. A simple prayer of ‘Thank you God’, ‘Bless us this day O God’ and ‘Forgive all my shortcomings O Lord’ are enough words to begin and end our day for peace of mind and our hearts to be blessed. Our training in the seminary is full of prayer activities and we are formed through prayer that gave strong conviction to continue our vocation to serve with others and God above all. And with prayer, you can never go wrong most especially in times of agony and despair. Prayer is the most important thing that I learned when I was a seminarian. That’s why each day I won’t forget to utter a prayer to God for giving me another chance to live, to love and to let go of things that are unnecessary for my life’s growth.
To Take Action. Reflection and prayer are not the final bus stop. Each reflection and prayer invite us to take action on what we reflect and pray because it will manifest everything we say. What better action that we can take? Planning is also necessary…you will not go on throughout the day without any plan of actions but there’s something that need to accomplish not just for one’s self but for others as well. Doing good deeds for others is a better form of doing to take action of our reflection and prayer come into realization. We don’t stop on blue print alone but to work hard on it. Our action is the fruit of reflection and prayer. What can be more meaningful is to do it right away without hesitations in our part. This is again a golden opportunity to redeem and fill what we have lost from the past. Every good news of donations and kindness that I am hearing and watching from television for calamity victims bring so much joy in the heart especially that we are doing the real Christmas spirit of real sharing and kindness for others. God blessed those who cheerfully give and doesn’t count the cost. Christmas is coming again and to become more meaningful season, take action right away! Each kindness we show will have a reward from heaven in stored for us. As from the Letter of James beautifully pointed ‘Faith without action is dead’ (James 2:14).
This reflection that I shared is the fruit of the past few days that I have learned.I was so inspired by the resiliency of our spirit to keep on fighting despite the odds that we are facing. At the same time, I am so happy to impart to you this simple reflection and as I end this piece of inspiration, it may serve something worthwhile to read and realize. I hope it will help us to prepare us for the joyful season ahead of us. Remember, the true spirit of Christmas is sharing and kindness. Do also your part! Reflect, Pray and Take Action!
