Many days, weeks, months and years have passed. The only thing remains without passing in this
passing time is our pain, suffering, frustration, hatred and hurt. Why? In a sense we have lost our hope, trust,
faith in God. Rather looking for material security. At the end of the year God brought two ladies
for a little guidance. The underlining
problem of both of them is the material security. Their dependency in the Providence of God is
gone far behind. IF ONLY I HAVE THIS, my
problems will be solved, was their thinking that occupied their whole
being. This insecure feeling brought
them a kind of fear, which pushed them into desperation resulting in stress and
frustration. And the next thing they do
is WHY ME LORD?
I never looked back or reflected over it. But this is made significance on that behavior
of mine. Though I did not look back or reflect over the past year 2014, but
there came something creeping into my mind, that my God taught me something
that I cannot forget in my lifetime. Every
time when I followed what he taught, it brought always a miracle. Every time I
obeyed, it strengthened me. God again
and again and again proved himself that if we really follow him we will obey
his words. “Do not be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me.” (John 14:1) The word which brought change into my life is
“Do not fear, only believe” (Mark 5:36) Hmm… yea, I have read this passage
many times. But when I read this Gospel passage on that day in the Gospel
sharing meeting of the staff of UC Banilad, the word spoke to everyone present
there. We took the resolution to follow
that word of God. STOP WORRYING, START BELIEVING. And I too remembered another
phrase, IF YOU PRAY, DO NOT WORRY, IF YOU WORRY, YOU DON’T PRAY. After that meeting, whenever I had
frustration, stress and worried about something, God reminded me of that word
of God. “Do not fear, only believe. (Mark 5:36) Starting from the simple matter
of reaching the Silver Hills for the Apostolate to the complicated matter of
waiting to receive the approval of rejected extension of my missionary visa; he
reminded me not to fear but to believe.
I questioned, humanly speaking it’s already time for mass and I am running
late for the Mass, but he said to be calm and to believe. I said, “Ok. Jesus, I believe.” And the
priest was 30 minutes late for the Mass. The approval of the extension of the
Missionary visa was rejected. That day the brother in-charge even said, better
to downgrade, it’s easy but expensive.
But still I said that I will wait. While traveling to the Immigration
office, the stress came; but the voice inside me told, not to be afraid, just
believe. ‘Humanly speaking impossible
Jesus?’ I murmured. He said again to trust. I hoped in him, I trusted. Among
the 4 problematic cases of the visa, I got approved and the others have to
downgrade. Even in doing my paper works
in the class assignment, He taught me to trust in him, to wait on him with hope
and everything HE did it very well.
So, let’s face the coming year with hope, not with
fear and frustration. His promise for us
is very clear, “For I know what my plans for you are, plans to save you and not
to harm you, plans to give you a future and to give you hope.”(Jeremiah 29:11)
He gives our future full of Hope. Hope can help us achieve anything and
everything. When we lose hope, we lose
everything.
There were four candles burning in a room. The ambiance
was so soft, that we could almost hear them talking. The first candle said: “I am peace! The World
is full of anger, hatred and fighting. Nobody can keep me lit.” Then the flame
of peace went out completely. The Second
candle said: “I am Faith! Most of the people live their life in fear and
frustration and it makes no sense for my existence” telling this the second
candle went off completely. Sadly the
third candle began to speak: “I am love! People don’t understand my importance
so they simply put me aside. The even forget to love those who are nearest to
them” and waiting no longer Love’s flame blown off. At that time a child entered the room and saw
the three blown out candles. “Why are you not burning? You’re supposed to stay
lit till the end. Saying this, the child began to cry. Then the fourth candle answered: “Don’t be
afraid, I am HOPE! While I am still burning we can re-lit the other candles.
With shining eyes the child took the candle of hope and lit the other candles.
The greatest of these is Love… …. But the flame of Hope should never go out of
your life! With hope each of us can live
with Peace Faith and Love.
“I have kept faith even when I said, "I am greatly
afflicted." I have said in my
dismay, "To hope in humans is vain." (Psalm 116:10-11)
Why are you so downcast, my soul, are why so troubled within me? Hope
in God, for I will praise him again, my savior and my God. (Psalm 42: 6, 12;
43:5)
So, there is hope for your descendants… (Jeremiah 31:17)
Then, COME
ON, whatever might have happened in the past; let’s welcome this year with NEW
HOPE. Let this year be filled with hope in all our hopeless cases.
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 41:31)
