Lenten Reflection: Ever After
07 Mar 2025 | Office for Mission and Identity (OMI)
All of us would have heard fairy tales. Each story seems predictable enough – a leading character faces a challenge or adversary, goes through difficulties, triumphs and gets a happy ending. Yet even with this predictability, we can’t help but be drawn to such narratives. Perhaps part of it is because we know that no matter what happens, the protagonist will get a good ever after. And who would not be attracted to that when deep inside, we all yearn for a good conclusion even with our very own journeys no matter what we go through in life?
The twists and turns of our paths are far from being predictable, unlike the fairy tales we know. However, Lent reminds us that our end is the same as those stories for our ever after is assured. Regardless of what we encounter, despite how much we screwed things up in the past, irrespective of who we have become in the different stages of our existence, God’s love guarantees where we will land if we allow ourself to hold onto His hand. All the Princes Charming, magical beans and fairy godmothers pale compared to the help and salvation Christ has bestowed on us.
If we are assured of where we will end, perhaps the question is what makes us afraid to keep on choosing those which are aligned with the Lord’s love? What blurs our vision of what is for God and what is against God? What challenges our faith in the ever after that we have been promised by Him who never wavered in fighting for us? These days may be an invitation to take a more committed stance on whose side we are on. Heaven is clearly waiting and may we not falter in wanting and actually persevering to get there.
Lahat tayo ay nakarinig na ng fairy tale. Madali namang hulaan ang bawat kuwento – may bidang makakaharap ng isang hamon o kaaway, daranas ng pagdurusa, magtatagumpay at magkakaroon ng masayang wakas. Subalit kahit pa alam na ang kahihinatnan, naaakit pa rin tayo sa mga ganyang salaysay. Marahil bahagi nito ay dahil sa batid natin na kahit anong mangyari, maganda ang magiging pagtatapos. At sino ba naman ang hindi mahihikayat sa ganoon lalo pa’t sa ating kaibuturan, naghahangad tayong lahat ng mabuting hantungan sa sarili nating paglalakbay ano pa man ang pagdaanan natin sa buhay?
Mahirap mahulaan ang mga pagliko at pasikut-sikot ng ating mga landas, kaiba sa mga fairy tale na batid natin. Subalit ipinapaalala ng Kuwaresma na tulad ng mga salaysay na iyon, tiyak ang ating patutunguhan. Anuman ang ating makaharap, kahit pa sumablay tayo sa nakalipas, sino man tayo sa iba-ibang bahagi ng ating pag-iral, iginagarantiya ng pag-ibig ng Diyos kung saan tayo hahantong kung tatanganan natin ang Kanyang kamay. Lahat ng mga Prince Charming, mahiwagang buto at fairy godmother ay mahina ang bisa kung ikukumpara sa tulong at kaligtasang iginawad sa atin ni Kristo.
Kung tiyak na ang ating hantungan, marahil ang tanong ay bakit tayo nangangambang patuloy na piliin iyong mga kaugnay ng pag-ibig ng Panginoon? Ano ang tumatabing sa ating paningin kung alin ang para sa Diyos at alin ang laban sa Kanya? Anong mga humahamon sa ating pananampalataya sa wakas na ipinangako Niya na hindi kailanman nagdalawang-isip sa pakikipaglaban para sa atin? Marahil paanyaya itong mga araw upang higit na piliin kung saang panig tayo. Naghihintay ang langit at nawa huwag tayong manamlay na naisin ito at tahakin ang pagtungo rito.
#ateneoishome #aihlentenreflections
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