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40 Days of Lent: Day 31

40 Days of Lent: Day 31

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

40 Days of Lent: Day 31

Was it a tiring week? Is the month becoming harried? Has the year been passing by rapidly, full of activities? Sometimes, there can be a sense that there are just so many things happening, different directions to go to, and so much noise surrounding us. It can be quite overwhelming, even suffocating. But perhaps that’s the reality of life. And unless we consciously take pauses and still our heart, everything can seem rushed, confusing and maybe even meaningless.

In different moments, we saw Jesus ‘steal’ some time to be alone, to be quiet, to pray. In fact, he spent forty days away from everyone and everything before he began his public life. And in several occasions, we know that he withdrew from the crowds. It is quite comforting and encouraging to imagine that the Lord himself needed to take some me-time to stay connected with his Father, perhaps to simply be, and to harvest the gifts of silence.

As we continue with our Lenten journey, there is an invitation to get in touch more deeply with our truths and the Truth. That can mean allowing spaces and moments to take a pause, to be still, to be silent. And so, can you take time today to be by yourself and be with the Lord through thirty-one minutes in silence? Perhaps the first minute is to slowly get used to less noise around you which can then lead to a meaningful period of interior silence. Through this, may you find once more, despite the busyness of life, the consolation that Christ continued to know in his own moments of retreat: God is never far away, God is always present, God is with you.

40 Araw ng Kuwaresma: Ika-31 Araw

Nakahahapo ba itong linggo? Nagiging aligaga ba ang buwan? Lumilipas ba nang mabilis at puno ng mga gawain ang taon? Minsan, tila napakarami ng nangyayari, samu’t sari ang patutunguhan, at ubod ng ingay ang paligid. Maaaring nakakalula na, at may pakiramdam na naghahabol tayo ng paghinga. Subalit iyan yata ang realidad ng buhay. At hanggang hindi natin piliin nang may pagmamalay ang panandaliang paghinto at pagpapanatag ng sarili, maaaring humahangos ang lahat, nakalilito at walang kabuluhan.

Sa iba-ibang pagkakataon, nakita nating ‘nagnakaw’ ng panahon si Hesus upang mag-isa, manahimik, at manalangin. Katunayan, gumugol siya ng apatnapung araw na malayo sa lahat bago niya sinimulan ang pampublikong pamumuhay. At ilang beses din siyang nag-isa mula sa maraming tao. Nakapagpapagaan ng damdamin at nakahihikayat ang isipin na maging ang Panginoon mismo ay nangailangan ng panahon para sa sarili upang umugnay sa kanyang Ama, huminto kahit sa maikling oras, at tipunin ang mga biyaya ng katahimikan.

Sa pagpapatuloy natin sa panahon ng Kuwaresma, may paanyaya na higit pang maging malay sa ating mga katotohanan at sa Katotohanan. Maaaring mangahulugan ito ng paglalaan ng mga puwang at pagkakataon na huminto, ipanatag ang sarili, at maging tahimik. Kung kaya, maaari ka bang maglaan ng tatlumpu’t isang minuto ngayong araw upang mag-isa at makapiling ang Panginoon sa pamamagitan ng katahimikan? Marahil ang unang minuto ay para sanayin ang sarili sa kabawasan ng ingay sa paligid na nawa magbunga sa mas makabuluhang pananahimik ng kalooban. Sa pamamagitan nito, nawa masumpungan mong muli, sa kabila ng pagka-abala ng buhay, iyong napagtanto ni Hesus sa kanyang mga sariling panahon ng pagpapanatag: hindi kailanman malayo ang Diyos, lagi at laging umiiral ang Diyos, kapiling mo ang Diyos.