Lenten Reflection: God Is In the Father
19 Mar 2025 | Office for Mission and Identity (OMI)
Lent is, of course, about the passion of the Lord. And because there seems to be a gap in the narration of his life such that we know very little about his childhood, teenage years, family details and home, it may be easier to imagine and remember Jesus in these final days. Knowing the story of His sacrifice for us, His identity and His choice to be our Savior, we can acknowledge the grace and mission He received from His Father in heaven. But lest we forget, He also had a father on earth who shaped who He was and even if very quietly and simply, contributed to the Messiah that He became.
Today being the feast day of Christ’s human father, we look at Saint Joseph and recognize that he also had a hand in Jesus’ choices and thus, in the salvation of each and every person that his son offered His life for. Just like in the significant moment of a graduation when we congratulate not just the student who goes up the stage but the parent who worked hard to make that happen, we can give credit to Joseph, too. In the same vein, even as he was not mentioned anymore in the narratives when Jesus went through His most difficult trials, we can also imagine his heartbreak at the pain that the person he raised as his own had to endure.
Certainly, God was in the Son. But we cannot deny that God was also in the father, especially from the moment he embraced Mary and Jesus as his family and up unto every loving choice that Jesus made and which Joseph enabled through the example and care he imparted. Today, we can go to him to help us see Christ more. We can seek his help and say: would you please move me to know Him more, and believe with greater conviction in the salvation He has given me? Would you lead me to ways so I can further allow Him to be my God? Would you guide me to Him as you guided Him to be truly His Father’s Son?
Tunay na tungkol sa pagdurusa ng Panginoon ang Kuwaresma. At dahil tila may agwat sa pagsasalaysay ng Kanyang buhay kung kaya wala tayong masyadong alam tungkol sa Kanyang kabataan, pagbibinata, pamilya at tahanan, maaaring mas madaling isipin at balikan si Hesus sa mga huling araw Niyang iyon. Sa pagkakabatid natin sa Kanyang kuwento ng sakripisyo para sa atin, katauhan at pagkiling na maging Tagapagligtas natin, maaari nating maunawaan ang biyaya at misyong natanggap Niya mula sa Kanyang Ama sa langit. Subalit huwag nating kalimutan na may ama rin Siya sa lupa na humubog sa Kanya at tumulong sa Kanyang pagiging Mesiyas sa isang tahimik at payak na paraan.
Bilang kapistahan ngayong araw ng taong-ama ni Kristo, maaari tayong bumaling kay San Jose at kilalanin na mayroon din siyang bahagi sa mga pagpili ni Hesus at sa gayon, sa kaligtasan ng bawat isang taong pinag-alayan Niya ng Kanyang buhay. Gaya sa mahalagang pangyayari ng pagtatapos sa paaralan kung kailan binabati natin hindi lamang ang mag-aaral na umaakyat sa entablado kung hindi maging ang magulang na nagbanat ng bunto upang mapangyari ito, maaari rin nating bigyang-halaga si Jose. Kaugnay nito, bagaman hindi na siya nabanggit sa mga panahong dumaraan na sa hirap si Hesus, mahihinuha rin natin ang kanyang pighati sa sakit na pinagdaanan ng taong siya mismo ang nagpalaki.
Totoong ang Diyos ay nasa Anak. Subalit hindi natin maitatanggi na ang Diyos ay nasa ama rin, lalo noong niyakap niya si Maria at Hesus bilang pamilya at hanggang sa bawat mapagmahal na pagpili ni Hesus na pinalakas ni Jose sa pamamagitan ng kanyang halimbawa at kalinga. Ngayong araw, maaari tayong lumapit sa kanya upang tulungan tayong higit pang silayan si Kristo. Maaari tayong humingi ng tulong sa kanya at sabihing: puede mo ba akong hikayatin upang higit ko Siyang kilalanin at maniwala ako nang may mas malalim na paninindigan sa kaligtasang ipinagkaloob Niya sa akin? Puede mo ba kong turuan ng mga paraan upang lalo Siyang hayaang maging aking Diyos? Puede mo ba kong gabayan sa parehong paraang ginabayan mo Siya upang tunay Siyang maging Anak ng Ama?
#ateneoishome #aihlentenreflections