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Nine Questions for Christmas – First One

Nine Questions for Christmas – First One

10 Dec 2024

Nine Questions for Christmas – First One

Almost half a decade ago, the first cases of COVID-19 were reported. Yes, it’s been that long. But even though time has already moved us on, that period and all other challenging moments we continue to encounter may cast a doubt on good things to come. For they reflect the reality that this road we are traversing is not always smooth, this world can be dark and life may be difficult.

Advent is a time of waiting – an endeavor with which none of us would be unfamiliar. As we wait, in the same way that we waited for the pandemic to end, we face different emotions and various possibilities. There’s waiting and being frustrated. There’s waiting that’s rife with thoughts of worst-case scenarios. There’s waiting that is a deep longing, inviting sadness and a painful sense of what’s missing. And so, it is understandable to ask as we wait:

Can we allow ourself to hope and dream?

Perhaps it’s a good thing to realize that Advent is not just any kind of waiting. It is waiting for Him to come, He who would journey with us on this rough road, He who would bring light to the darkness that can be in our world, He who would embrace us through life’s difficulties. And so even as we may be used to waiting, we hope we remember that the most extreme waiting we could ever do – waiting to be saved, waiting to be cared for, waiting to be loved – has already been answered. For God has never been unsure about what we are to Him. We are His children. And He chose no less than His very own, our Brother, to remind us of this truth. This gives us reason to dream endlessly and to hope despite any odds.

Halos kalahating dekada na ang nakalilipas mula nang maiulat ang mga unang kaso ng COVID-19. Oo, ganoon na katagal. Subalit kahit pa iniusad na tayo ng panahon, maaaring magdulot ng alinlangan sa mga mabubuting bagay na parating iyong mga araw na iyon at iba pang mga mapanghamong pagkakataon na patuloy nating nakakatagpo. Sapagkat ipinapakita ng mga ito ang realidad na hindi laging makinis itong landas na ating tinatahak, maaaring may karimlan itong mundo, at mahirap ang buhay.

Ang Adbiyento ay panahon ng paghihintay – isang gawaing hindi bago sa atin. Samantalang naghihintay tayo, sa parehong paraan na naghintay tayong matapos ang pandemya, nahaharap tayo sa samu’t saring damdamin at iba-ibang posibilidad. May paghihintay at pagiging bagot. May paghihintay na tigib ng mga isipin ng pinakamasasamang maaaring mangyari. May paghihintay na may malalim na pangungulila, na nag-aanyaya ng kalungkutan at mapait na pagkapukaw sa wala. Kung kaya kauna-unawa na magtanong habang naghihintay:

Nararapat ba nating tulutan ang sarili na umasa at mangarap?

Marahil mabuting mapagtanto na hindi lamang pangkaraniwang paghihintay ang Adbiyento. Ito ay paghihintay na dumating Siya, Siya na kasama nating maglalakbay rito sa baku-bakong daan, Siya na magbibigay-liwanag sa karimlan nitong ating mundo, Siya na yayakap sa atin sa lahat ng hamon ng buhay. Kung kaya sanay man tayo sa paghihintay, nawa maalala natin na ang pinakamasidhing paghihintay natin – paghihintay para sa kaligtasan, paghihintay para sa kalinga, paghihintay para sa pag-ibig – ay natugunan na. Sapagkat walang pagdadalawang-isip ang Diyos sa kung ano tayo sa Kanya. Mga anak Niya tayo. At pinili Niya ang sarili Niyang kaisa, ang ating Kapatid, upang ipaalala sa atin itong katotohanan. Nagkakaloob sa atin ito ng dahilan upang mangarap nang walang pagtitimpi at makadama ng pag-asa sa kabila ng kahit anumang dumating at darating.

Can we allow ourself to hope and dream?

#aihninequestionsforchristmas #ateneoishome