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40 Days of Lent: Day 34

40 Days of Lent: Day 34

01 Mar 2023 | Office for Mission and Identity (OMI)

40 Days of Lent: Day 34

Perhaps a day does not pass when we are not asked questions or when we do not have questions. It can range from something simple as “What’s for lunch?” to one that can be very deep and probing like “How are you? Are you okay?”. In our lifetime, we may have also asked things like “Is Santa Claus real?” and “What should I do?”. Certainly, questioning is a big part of our daily experience, of our mind, and even of our heart.

In Christ’s narrative, there were also questions that he asked. Some can be a little tricky to answer like “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”. Others such as “What is it you want?” can initiate a deep reflection. And there are those like his question of “My god, my god, why have you forsaken me?” in which we glimpse the kind of struggle he was going through and his relationship with the Father. We can never fully understand why Jesus uttered these but what is obvious is he also had several questions in him.

On this thirty-fourth day of Lent and seeing from Jesus how it is, indeed, alright to ask, what questions do you have? Maybe about life? Or directed towards God? Perhaps seeking clarification? Expressing frustration? Or hoping to understand yourself and others better? There is no assurance that all these will be answered at all or will be answered in the way and with the time we expect or desire. But does the answer have to always be definite or confirmed? Could it be that what may be helpful is the journey of asking and listening to what the question is? Is it possible that as Jesus himself went through this life, the certainty and guarantee of his companionship and love despite the struggles and lack of answers is what matters most?

40 Araw ng Kuwaresma: Ika-34 Araw

Marahil walang araw na lumipas na hindi tayo tinatanong o nagtatanong. Maaaring mula sa karaniwang tanong na “Ano ang tanghalian?” hanggang sa mausisa tulad ng “Kumusta ka? Ayos ka ba?”. Sa buhay natin, maaaring nagtanong na rin tayo ng mga gaya ng “Totoo ba si Santa Klaws?” at “Anong kailangan kong gawin?”. Tunay ngang malaking bahagi ng pang-araw-araw na karanasan, isip, at maging ng puso ang pagtatanong.

Sa salaysay ni Kristo, may mga itinanong din siya. Yung iba, maaaring hindi madaling sagutin tulad ng Ayon sa sinasabi ng mga tao, sino raw ba ako na Anak ng Tao?”. Ang iba naman gaya ng “Ano ang nais mo?” ay nakapupukaw na magmuni. At may mga tanong tulad ng “Diyos ko, Diyos ko, bakit mo ako pinabayaan?” na nagpapahiwatig ng kanyang panibugho at kaugnayan sa Ama. Hindi natin lubos na mauunawaan kung bakit nasambit ni Hesus ang mga ito subalit batid natin na mayroon din siyang sariling mga tanong.

Sa ikatatlumpu’t apat na araw ng Kuwaresma at sa nakita natin kay Hesus na tunay ngang ayos lamang ang magtanong, ano ang mga tanong mo? Marahil tungkol sa buhay? O kaya para sa Diyos? Maaaring naghahanap ng paglilinaw? Nagsasaad ng pagkainis o pagkabagot? O umaasang higit na maunawaan ang sarili at kapwa? Walang katiyakan na masasagot ang lahat ng ito nang buo o matutugunan sa paraan at panahon na ating inaasahan o ninanais. Subalit nararapat bang laging tiyak o sigurado ang sagot? Maaari bang ang makatutulong ay ang paglalayag sa pagtatanong at pakikinig sa kung ano ang tanong? Posible ba na dahil dumaan dito mismo sa buhay si Hesus, ang katiyakan at seguridad sa kanyang piling at pag-ibig sa kabila ng mga pakikipagbuno at kakulangan ng tugon ang pinakamahalaga?