40 Shades of Lent by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Thursday After Ash Wednesday, 15 February 2024 Deuteronomy 30:15-20 +++ Luke 9:22-25
Photo from petalrepublic.com.
Our most loving and merciful Father, thank you for this new season of Lent, in giving us this most wonderful occasion to reflect on life's meaning we always confuse as outside of us, dependent on things, and most of all, perfect without pain and sufferings.
Life is Lent. It is the only season that begins not on a Sunday but on an ordinary day of the week, right in the midst of our many duties and worries because Lent is something within us, always asking us to make the right choices, of choosing life, not death; blessing, not curse.
Many times, Father, we are out of touch with ourselves, with life itself which we see as outside ourselves that we hardly live at all without experiencing life itself in its wholeness that includes all the beauty and scars, the lights and darkness, the glory and sorrows, the defeats and victories, the tears and laughter, the Good Friday and Easter.
If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen, but are led astray and adore and serve other gods, I tell you now that you will certainly perish; you will not live a long life on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy.
Deuteronomy 30:17-18
The way to life that you, Father, offers us through the life and example of Jesus Christ your Son is the exact opposite that the world proposes; help us realize that truth, clear us of all doubts and dilly-dallying, of making excuses and alibis that what the world sees as God's ways are limiting when in fact are liberating!
Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”
Luke 9:23-25
We have seen for ourselves many times how the way of the world of indulging in every desire and pleasure like wealth and fame, sex and drugs have actually led to destruction and death, sorrows and miseries than life and joy; clear our minds and hearts to make the right choice and decision of following Jesus to the Cross daily because that is what it means that life is lent, a daily journey to Good Friday that leads surely to Easter. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Tuesday, Memorial of Sts. Pedro Bautista, Paul Miki & Companion Martyrs, 06 February 2024 1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 <*[[[[>< + ><]]]]'> Mark 7:1-13
Photo by author, Jerusalem 2017.
Dear God our Father, thank you for being for us, thank you for being with us, thank you for being in us; you are our foundation, our root, and our very life. Everyday in nature you show us your beauty and majesty, but most of all, in all history, you have allowed us to express your might and power with our magnificent buildings of worship everywhere that like King Solomon, we pray and wonder:
“Can it indeed be that God dwells on earth? If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this temple which I have built! Look kindly on the prayer and petition of your servant, O Lord, my God, and listen to the cry of supplication which I, your servant, utter before you this day.”
1 Kings 8:27-28
Thank you dear God for the gift of missionaries who have come to build churches and schools and hospitals and towns that until now testify to your being with us; many of them have literally given their lives for the gospel of Jesus Christ your Son like San Pedro Bautista who worked only for nine years in the Philippines but had transformed lives from Bulacan to Camarines Sur; he later joined the first Japanese martyr and Jesuit priest St. Paul Miki and other companions in Nagasaki when rulers there became suspicious of their missionary works that have won so many converts. May we remain faithful to you, O God, as our sole foundation in life even in death.
Forgive us, Father, when many times we confine you in our churches, in our beliefs and traditions becoming more focused with material foundations than your divine foundation like the Pharisees and scribes in the gospel today; let us continue to pursue learning in the light of Christ's teaching, sometimes relearning and unlearning things we have been used to by always going back to you O God as our sole foundation in this life. Amen.
Photo by author in Jerusalem’s via Dolorosa, 2017.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Thursday in the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 01 February 2024 1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12 ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> + ><]]]]'> Mark 6:7-13
Photo by author, Camp John Hay, Baguio City, 12 July 2023.
Praise and glory to you God our loving Father! Thank you for January, thank you very much for February; as we start this second month of the year, you remind us how in life every ending is also a beginning.
When the time of David’s death drew near, he gave these instructions to his son Solomon: ”I am going the way of all flesh. Take courage and be a man. Keep the mandate of the Lord, your God, following his ways and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees as they are written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in whatever you do, wherever you turn.”
1 Kings 2:1-3
Give us the grace of ageing gracefully, Father, like your servant David; give us the courage and sincerity to accept, to embrace when we are "going the way of all flesh"; yes, we all wish a life of joy and happiness with less pains and difficulties but as we forge on life, we have experienced, we have realized, and proven so many times that hardships and hurts are inevitable parts of this life, even separations and death that David perfectly called as way of the flesh.
Joy and fulfillment happen when we embrace these shadows and darkness for it is in those spaces where lights are most visible and life is most meaningful; give us, Lord Jesus, the courage to let go, to leave our extra baggages behind in order to travel light in this life proclaiming your good news; make us realize that true wealth is in having less of the material and more of the spiritual; most of all, every ending is also a beginning, hence, the need for us to prepare those next to us. Amen.
Lawiswis Ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II Kapistahan ng Pagbabalik-loob ni San Pablo, Ika-25 ng Enero, 2024 Gawa ng mga Apostol 22:3-16 ><}}}*> + ><}}}*> + ><}}}*> Marcos 16:15-18
Painting ng “The Conversion of St. Paul” ni Luca Giordano noong 1690 mula sa wikipedia.org.
“Magbago ka na!” Iyan ang mga salitang madalas nating marinig at sinasabi sa mga tao na alam nating mayroong masamang pag-uugali at gawain. Madalas bitiwan mga salitang iyan tuwing Bagong Taon at mga Mahal na Araw.
Ngunit, maari nga ba talagang magbago ng pag-uugali o ng pagkatao ang sino man? Ibig bang sabihin yung dating iyakin magiging bungisngis o dating madaldal magiging tahimik? Iyon bang matapang kapag nagbago magiging duwag o dating palaban magiging walang kibo at imik?
Kung isasalin sa sariling wika natin ang salitang “conversion”, nagpapahiwatig ito ng pagbabago tulad ng na-convert sa ibang relihiyon o sa ibang anyo o gamit. Ngunit sa bawat pagbabago, mayroong higit na malalim na nababago na hindi namang ibig sabihin ay nag-iiba o naging different.
Kasi iyong sinasabing conversion ni San Pablo o ng sino pa mang tao ay hindi naman pagbabago ng pagkatao kung tutuusin; sa bawat conversion, hindi naman nababago ating pagkatao talaga kungdi ating puso na naroon sa ating kalooban.
Kaya tinatawag itong pagbabalik-loob, di lamang pagbabagong-buhay.
Binabalikan natin ang Diyos na nananahan sa puso natin, doon sa kalooban natin.
Higit na malalim at makahulugang isalin ang conversion sa katagang “pagbabalik-loob” dahil ang totoo naman ay bumabalik tayo sa Diyos na naroon sa loob ng ating sarili.
Dito ipinakikita rin na likas tayong mabuti sapagkat mula tayo sa Diyos na mismong Kabutihan. Kailangang pagsisihan mga kasalanan, talikuran at talikdan kasamaan na siyang mga balakid sa ano mang pagbabalik-loob at saka pa lamang mababago ating pamumuhay.
Katulad ni San Pablo, sino man sa atin na makatagpo sa liwanag ng Diyos, nagiging maliwanag ang lahat kayat atin nang hahangarin ang Diyos na lamang at kanyang kalooban. Nananatili ating katauhan at pag-uugali ngunit naiiba direksiyon at pokus.
Kapansin-pansin na bawat nagkakasala wika nga ay malayo ang loob sa Diyos na ibig sabihin ay “ayaw sa Diyos” gaya ng ating pakahulugan tuwing sinasabing “malayo ang loob”. Ang nagbabalik-loob ay lumalapit, nagbabalik-loob at pumapaloob sa Diyos.
Pangangaral ni San Pablo sa Areopagus sa Athens (larawan mula sa wikipedia.org).
Isang magandang paalala sa ating lahat itong Kapistahan ng Pagbabalik-loob ni San Pablo na hindi malayo at hindi rin mahirap maabot, bumalik sa Diyos sa pamamagitan ni Kristo Jesus. Maari itong mangyari sa gitna mismo ng ating sira at maruming sarili.
Hindi nabago pagkatao at pag-uugali ni San Pablo kung tutuusin: nanatili pa rin siyang masugid, matapang at masigasig. Nabago lamang ang direksiyon at pokus o tuon ng kanyang pag-uugali at pagkatao. At siya pa rin iyon. Inamin niya sa ating unang pagbasa ngayon na siya ay “isang Judio, ipinanganak sa Tarso ng Cilicia ngunit lumaki rin sa Jerusalem. Nag-aral kay Gamaliel at buong higpit na tinuruan sa Kautusuan ng mga ninuno at masugid na naglilingkod sa Diyos” (Gawa 22:3).
Nanatiling masugid sa Diyos si San Pablo ngunit naiba na ang batayan na dati ay sa mga Kautusan at tradisyon ngunit sa kanyang pagbabalik-loob, si Jesu-Kristo na ang batayan ng kanyang pananampalataya. Personal niyang naranasan si Jesus kaya gayon na lamang kanyang pagiging masugid na alagad. Sinasabing kung hindi siya nadakip at nakulong hanggang sa patayin marahil ay umabot siya sa Africa sa pagpapalaganap ng Mabuting Balita.
Hindi rin nabawasan kanyang tapang; bagkus pa nga ay higit pa siyang tumapang. Lahat ng hirap tiniis niya at hinarap gaya ng pambubugbog sa kanila, ma-shipwreck sa isla, mabilanggo ng ilang ulit at ni minsan hindi umatras sa mga balitaktakan at paliwanagan sa mga Judio at maging kay San Pedro ay kanyang kayang salungatin at pagsabihan kung kinakailangan.
Gayon na lamang ang malasakit ni San Pablo sa Panginoong Jesu-Kristo at kanyang Mabuting Balita kaya naman sabay ang pagdiriwang ng kanilang Dakilang Kapistahan ni San Pedro tuwing ika-29 ng Hunyo dahil magkapantay kanilang kahalagahan sa pagpapatatag, pamumuno at pagpapalaganap ng pananampalataya at Simbahan.
Ordinasyon sa pagka-diyakano sa Katedral sa Malolos, ika-12 ng Hunyo 2019.
Alalaong-baga, katulad ni San Pablo, ano man ating pagkatao at pag-uugali siya pa ring mga dahilan kaya tayo tinatawag ng Panginoon upang maglingkod sa kanya; ililihis at ihihilig lamang niya mga ito ayon sa kanyang panukala at kalooban.
Kaming mga pari kapag inordenahan ay ganoon pa rin naman pagkatao at pag-uugali ngunit nababago direksiyon at tuon sa bagong estado ng buhay at misyon.
Gayun din ang mga mag-asawa. Lalabas at lalabas tunay na pagkatao at pag-uugali ngunit hindi iyon mga sagwil upang lumago at lumalim sila sa pagmamahalan at pagsasama bilang mag-asawa.
Wika nga sa Inggles, “God does not call the qualified; he qualifies the call.” Maraming pagkakataon tinatawag tayo ng Diyos maglingkod sa kanya di dahil sa tayo ay magagaling at mahusay; madalas nagugulat pa tayo na mismong ating kapintasan at kakulangan ang ginagamit ng Diyos para tayo maging mabisa sa pagtupad sa kanyang tawag.
Madalas at hindi naman maaalis na sumablay pa rin tayo at sumulpot paulit-ulit dating pag-uugali. Kaya naman isang proseso na nagpapatuloy, hindi natatapos ang pagbabalik-loob sa Diyos. Araw-araw tinatawagan tayong magbalik-loob.
Larawan kuha ni G. Jim Marpa sa Dabaw, 15 Enero 2024.
Gaya ni San Pablo nang siya ay ma-bad trip kay Juan Marcos na iniwan sila ni Bernabe sa una nilang pagmimisyon. Batay sa kasulatan, ibig pagbigayn pa ni San Bernabe na muling isama si Juan Marcos sa pangalawang pagmimisyon nila ngunit mariin ang pagtanggi at pagtutol ni San Pablo kaya’t sila ay naghiwalay ng landas bagamat nanatili silang mga alagad ni Kristo. Sa bandang huli naman ay nagkapatawaran sila.
Ganoon din tayo, hindi ba? Walang perfect. Ang mahalaga araw-araw nagbabalik-loob tayo sa Diyos dahil araw-araw lumiligwak din tayo sa ating maling pag-uugali at mahunang pagkatao.
Higit sa lahat, sa ating patuloy na pagbabalik-loob, doon lamang magiging maliwanag sa ating ang kalooban ng Diyos na palagi nating inaalam sapagkat batid nating ito ang pinakamabuti para sa atin. Ang kalooban ng Diyos ang magtuturo sa atin ng tamang landas na tatahakin upang ating buhay ay maging ganap at kasiya-siya.
Subalit kadalasan tayo ay nabibigo, naguguluhan kung ano ang kalooban ng Diyos dahil akala natin para itong tanong na isang pindot ay malalaman kaagad ang sagot tulad ng sa Google. Mahirap mabatid kalooban ng Diyos kung tayo ay malayo sa kanya dahil sa mga kasalanan. Kaya tulad ni San Pablo, idalangin natin sa Ama sa pamamagitan ni Jesu-Kristong Anak niya na magpatuloy tayo sa pagbabalik-loob upang manatili tayong nakapaloob sa Diyos. Amen. San Pablo, ipanalangin mo kami!
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday in the Second Week of Ordinary Time, Year II, 17 January 2024 1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51 <'[[[[>< + ><]]]]'> Mark 3:1-6
Guillaume Courtois, “David and Goliath,” 1650-1660. Oil on canvas. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
Dear God: Bring out in me the youthful faith and confidence of David your servant who slew the giant Goliath in your most holy name; many times in life I get so afraid of the many trials in life that come my way - sickness and death, problems and difficulties, sufferings and pains, failures and rejections, sins and evil situations that enslave me.
Many times, you know how I wanted to give up the fight, to just quit and leave but thank you for that spark of faith in you from within that reminds me of you, of your abiding love and presence like David before Goliath:
“All this multitude, too, shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he shall deliver you into our hands.”
1 Samuel 17:47
Most of all, let me hold on to that truth that you sent us your Son Jesus Christ "to do everything that is good than evil, to save life than destroy it" (Mark 3:4); let me do always your work, dear Father, in the way you would want me to do it. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday in the First Week of Ordinary Time, 12 January 2024 1 Samuel 8:4-7, 10-22 <'[[[[>< + ><]]]]'> Mark 2:1-12
Photo by Mr. Boy Cabrido, 05 January 2024, First Friday at Quiapo Church.
Praise and glory to you, God our Father, on this twelfth day of 2024 as you continue to teach us some valuable lessons to keep in order to live in communion with you and experience your blessings in Jesus Christ daily for the next 366 days.
In the first reading, we find the persistence of your people in having a king over them just like other nations around Israel which, surprisingly, you did not mind at all! How funny it is that many times, we are insistent on things really not that important, wasting precious time and energy only to be sorry later.
Samuel was displeased when they asked for a king to judge them. He prayed to the Lord, however, who said in answer: ”Grant the people’s every request. It is not you they reject, they are rejecting me as their king.”
1 Samuel 8:6-7
Send us prophets, Father, another Samuel who would help us discern what we are asking from you, what we desire in life, what we really want; may we not be insistent nor persistent when our prayers and wishes or objectives contradict your divine plans and set us apart from you and others who truly care for us.
Photo by Mr. Boy Cabrido, midnight at Quiapo, 09 January 2024.
Teach us instead, to be more persistent, even insistent by persevering to get closer to Jesus Christ your Son like those four men who opened up the roof and let down before Jesus the paralytic they were carrying; how funny when we make many excuses to be not insistent and persistent in getting closer to Jesus like going to Sunday Mass, hearing Confessions, or simply praying inside the church or an adoration chapel; many times, we never run out of alibis for not persisting in being kind or being good or at least courteous to others; more often, we simply lack the energy to persevere in cultivating discipline and other virtues because we think more of what others are doing and saying, of what is in, what is in vogue, what is viral and trending.
This 2024, give us the grace of persistence, especially of perseverance in following Jesus, in being like Jesus, in sharing Jesus. Amen.
Photo by Mr. Boy Cabrido in Luneta, 09 January 2024.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Wednesday in the First Week of Ordinary Time, 10 January 2024 1 Samuel 3:1-10,19-20 <*[[[[>< + ><]]]]*> Mark 1:29-39
Photo by author, 2020.
Dearest God our Father: I find it so funny these days we have that feature in our phones "call waiting" - when we can identify whoever is calling us, giving us the easy choice to answer it or not; if we have missed a call, we still have a chance to call back to return a missed call; with "call waiting", we cannot actually miss a call. Ideally. Supposed to be.
But we not only ignore calls of friends and relatives; worst of all, we refuse answering your calls!
During the time young Samuel was minister to the Lord under Eli, a revelation of the Lord was uncommon and vision infrequent… Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.
1 Samuel 3:1, 20
How interesting the author noted that "revelation of the Lord was uncommon and vision infrequent" during that time of Eli as your priest; most likely reason was nobody was listening to you at all until Samuel came.
Teach us, dear Jesus, to never keep you waiting for us in answering your calls; like the brothers Peter and Andrew, James and John that we immediately speak to you, most of all always listen to you.
This 2024, let us not keep you waiting in answering your call for you never missed our calls; let me be patient, O Lord, in awaiting your words, your calls so that like Samuel when we speak, our words have effect because we speak your words alone. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, 08 January 2024 Isaiah 55:1-11 <*{{{{>< + ><}}}}*> Mark 1:7-11
How lovely, dear God our Father, that at the start of work and classes this 2024, we heard from Mark the start of his gospel where he told us the baptism of your Son Jesus, the fulfillment of your promises of old announced by his precursor, John the Baptist.
On coming out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Mark 1:10-11
Oh how I love that part of Mark's narration of "the heavens being torn open", so evocative of your power, almighty Father of intervening into our lives, of rending the sky to come down upon us to bring order, to bring peace, to bring salvation in Jesus! At the end of his gospel, Mark spoke anew of how Jesus at his last breath “rending” the curtain at the sanctuary of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Mk.15:38).
Everyday you open the heavens for us, dear Father in Christ Jesus, calling us your beloved children, pouring upon us all your blessings not only the material things we need but all good things we need to live fully as you have told Isaiah in the first reading:
Thus says the Lord: All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord… so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:1-3, 8, 11
Loving Father, let us not reject your call and invitation in Christ Jesus to be one with him in this world; forgive us when most often, we think of the difficulties in keeping your commandments without realizing they are "not burdensome" (1 John 5:3) because the more we sin, the more life gets harder and difficult for us.
Let us hold on your assurance of love on this feast of the Lord's baptism, of how your favor rests upon us in Christ Jesus; let us heed your calls so we may see you rending the heavens apart, coming to our rescue, coming to our aid in your loving presence. Amen.
The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Friday before the Epiphany of the Lord, 05 January 2023 1 John 3:11-21 <*((((>< + ><))))*> John 1:43-51
Photo by Dra. Mylene A. Santos, MD, at Tagalag, Valenzuela City, 18 November 2023.
How wonderful on this fifth day of 2024, O God our Father, that you amaze us first on what is truly amazing...
"Do not be amazed, then, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you" (1 John 3:13).
Many times we are amazed at the evil men and women do; we are amazed and surprised in the negative sense like shocked, appalled, even embarrassed when others speak and act shamelessly against what is true, good, and beautiful; to be amazed in the negative sense makes us withdraw to examine our very selves if we too have become callous and shamelessly evil.
What is truly amazing, worth of our surprise is when we are amazed in the positive sense like Nathanael: "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see" (John 1:46).
Only what is truly good, very true, and really beautiful is amazing; nothing can make our hearts leap even in momentary disbelief and amazement like Nathanael to hear or see or experience something so good and all good; and that is YOU, O God, the most amazing of all now brought nearer to us in Christ Jesus; in him, we have realized and experienced that "God is greater than our hearts" (1 John 3:20) because you, O God, your love and your truth, your mercy and your kindness are all beyond our grasp; nothing can be so amazing, loving Father, for us to experience your love far beyond anything we could expect for ourselves; make us believe, let us be amazed in you. Amen.
Lawiswis ng Salita ni P. Nicanor F. Lalog II, Ika-27 ng Disyembre 2023
Larawan mula sa Facebook, 23 Disyembre 2023 ng pagtutulungan ng Red Letter Christians at ng artist na si Kelly Latimore ng @kellylatimoreicons upang lumikha ng bagong larawang ito na pinamagatang “Christ in the Rubble” nagsasaad na kung sakaling ngayong panahon isinilang si Jesus, malamang siya ay ipinanganak sa gitna ng mga durog na bato sanhi ng digmaan doon sa Gaza.
Maligayang Pasko!
Tayo raw mga Pilipino ang mayroong pinaka-tumpak na pagbati sa panahong ito dahil sinasaad ng salitang “pasko” ang buong katotohanan ng hiwaga ng pagkakatawang-tao (Incarnation) ng Diyos Anak na si Jesu-Kristo.
Mula sa wikang Hebreo na pesar o pesach na kahulugan ay “pagtawid”, ito ay pascua sa wikang Kastila na atin ding ginagamit na ugat ng Pasko at pasch naman sa Inggles.
Una natin itong natunghayan sa Matandang Tipan, sa Aklat ng Exodus nang itawid ng Diyos sa pamumuno ni Moises ang mga Israelita mula Egipto patungong lupang pangako. Iyon ang larawang paulit-ulit na tinutukoy sa ating kasaysayan ng pagliligtas, sumasagisag sa pagtawid mula sa kaalipinan patungo sa kalayaan, pagtawid mula kadiliman patungo sa liwanag, pagtawid mula kasalanan tungo sa kapatawaran, at higit sa lahat, pagtawid mula kaparusahan tungo sa kaligtasan.
Iyon din ang batayan ng tinutukoy na misteryo paskuwa o ng ating pananampalataya kay Kristo-Jesus na ating ipinahahayag tuwina sa Banal na Misa, “si Kristo ay namatay, si Kristo ay muling nabuhay, si Kristo ay babalik sa wakas ng panahon!“
Larawan kuha ng may-akda, 2021.
Tumpak at ayon ang ating pagbati na Maligayang Pasko dahil nagsimula ang misteryo paskuwa ni Jesus nang Siya ay ipaglihi at isinilang ng Mahala na Birheng Maria sa Bethlehem mahigit 2000 tao na nakalilipas.
Sa pagkakatawang-tao ni Jesus, Siya ay tumawid mula sa kawalang-hanggan (eternity) tungo sa mayroong hanggan (temporal) dito sa lupa; mula sa kanyang ganap na pag-iral taglay ang lahat ng kapangyarihan tungo sa limitado niyang pagkatao tulad ng pagiging mahina at mahuna lalo na sa pagiging sanggol at bata. Kasama na doon ang kailangan Niyang mag-aral lumakad, magsulat, magbasa at magsalita na kung tutuusin ay alam Niya ang lahat.
Taong-tao talaga si Jesus bagamat hindi nawala ni nabawasan Kanyang pagka-Diyos sa Kanyang pagkakatawang-tao kaya lahat ng ating mga karanasan bilang tao ay Kanya ring naranasan maliban ang kasalanan at magkasala. Siya man ay nagutom, nauhaw, nahapis at tumangis nang mamatay ang kaibigan Niyang si Lazaro, nahabag sa mga tao mga may sakit at balo. Wika nga ni Papa Benedicto XVI na malapit na nating ipag-ibis luksa sa katapusan, ang Diyos na ganap na kung tutuusin ay hindi nahihirapan ni nasasaktan ay pinili na makiisa sa hirap at sakit nating mga tao pamamagitan ng pagkakatawang-tao ni Jesu-Kristo (Spe Salvi, #39).
Napaka-ganda at husay ng paglalahad ni San Pablo sa pagtawid o paskuwa na ito ni Jesus na kanyang tinaguriang kenosis, ang paghuhubad ni Jesus ng Kanyang pagka-Diyos bagamat para sa akin mas angkop ang salin na “pagsasaid” dahil sinimot ni Jesus ang lahat ng sa Kanya para sa atin doon sa Kanyang pagkakatawang-tao na ang rurok ay doon sa Krus.
Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Baguio City, Agosto 2023.
Magpakababa kayo tulad ni Cristo Jesus: Na bagamat siya’y Diyos, hindi nagpilit na manatiling kapantay ng Diyos, Bagkus hinubad niya ang lahat ng katangian ng pagka-Diyos, nagkatawang-tao at namuhay na isang alipin. Nang maging tao, siya’y nagpakababa at naging masunurin hanggang kamatayan, oo, hanggang kamatayan sa krus.
Filipos 2:5-8
Naalala ko isang araw ng Pasko noong bata ako nang kami ay papaalis patungo sa mga Nanay at kapatid ng aking ama sa Maynila, masungit ang panahon at maulan. Hindi ko matanggap na umuulan at masama ang panahon sa araw ng Pasko kaya tinanong ko aking ina, “Bakit po ganun, birthday ni Jesus may ulan, may bagyo? E hindi ba God Siya? Di ba Niya puwede ipahinto mga ulan sa birthday Niya?”
Di ko matandaan sagot ng mommy ko pero malamang hindi malayo sa luku-luko at gago!
Nang magka-isip na ako, natutuhan ko sa mga pagbabasa na sa maraming pagkakataon mayroong mga bagyo at kalamidad, digmaan at kung anu-ano pang mga sigalot at paghihirap na nangyari kasaysayan tuwing Pasko.
Tayo man mismo, marahil sa ating personal na buhay, maraming pagkakataon na tayo ay lumuluha, nanlulumo, hapis na hapis sa buhay sa ilang mga masasakit na karanasan sa araw ng Pasko. Kaya marami sa ating habang tumatanda nasasabing para lamang sa mga bata ang Pasko na masaya.
Ngunit hindi po iyan totoo! Batid natin sa ating mga karanasan na sa padaraan ng panahon, lumalalim ding pag-unawa nating sa Paso.
Larawan kuha ng may-akda, Setyembre 2023.
Balikan natin mga panahon ng ating pagsubok sa buhay lalo na sa panahon ng kapaskuhan, higit tayong namamangha at tiyak sasang-ayon ng lubos na tumpak nga ang bati nating mga Pinoy ng “Maligayang Pasko!” dahil mas malalim at makabuluhan ang pagdiriwang ito o ano pa mang selebrasyon sa buhay kapag ating napagdaanan at nalampasan mga hirap at sakit.
Ito ang kagandahan at katotohanan ng buhay natin na isang paulit-ulit na pasko, ng pagtawid at paglampas sa mga hirap at hilahil, pagbubulaanan sa ano mang sakbibi at pag-aaalinlangan ating ikinakakaba.
Hindi inalis ng Diyos ating hirap at sakit maging kamatayan bagkus tayo ay Kanyang sinamahan sa pagbibigay Niya sa atin ng Kanyang bugtong na Anak, ang Panginoong Jesu-Kristo na tumawid mula langit patungo dito sa atin sa lupa upang tayo naman Kanya ring maitawid patungong langit.
Kaya naman, pakiusap ko sa lahat na ipagpatuloy natin pagbati ng Maligayang Pasko hanggang ika-pito ng Enero 2024, ang Dakilang Kapistahan ng Pagpapakita o Epiphany ng Panginoon. Napakasama at malaking kahangalan na kay tagal inabangan ang Pasko na nagsisimula ng hapon ng ika-24 ng Disyembre at pagkatapos ng ika-25 ay biglang magbabatian ng Happy New Year!?
Kalokohan! At marahil, hindi naunawaan diwa ng Pasko. Mababaw at puro happy, happy gusto ng mga maraming tao, di batid ang diwa at lalim ng kahulugan ng Pasko na sa paglalagom ay iisang salita lamang: PAG-IBIG o PAGMAMAHAL. Ng Diyos sa atin.
Ano man ang mangyari sa buhay natin, sa ating mundo, hindi mapipigil ang Pasko, tuloy ang Pasko dahil kasama natin palagi si Kristo. At kung ikaw man ay mayroong pinagdaraanan, matuwa ka at magalak, ikaw ay nasa paskuwa – pasko – kasama, kaisa si Kristo! Amen.
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