Lenten Reflection: Load
08 Apr 2025 | Office for Mission and Identity (OMI)
The word ‘load’ has become commonplace. We load vehicles with fuel, we load our cellphone numbers with credit, we load our e-banking accounts with money. At the same time, with the hustle and bustle of the everyday, all of us would have our own loads to carry: personal matters to be attended to, work that needs to be dealt with, challenges that we have to face. It is, indeed, such a loaded word for it pertains both to being filled as well as to a certain heaviness.
And so it might be good to check-in with ourself: what loads am I carrying in my life? How heavy are they? Is there something I am bringing that I can put down and let go so as to lighten the weight on my shoulders? At the same time, it may be important to ask: how am I ‘refueling’ myself? What meaningful load am I filling my heart and soul with? Where do I draw strength and energy?
This Lent invites us to see and accept that Jesus had His own load to carry out of incomparable and unfathomable caring for us. But He did not do it empty-handed for He was sustained and strengthened by the Father’s love and buoyed by His heart that held us. There is that same invitation for us: that may we carry only those that are from and of love, that may we fill ourself with no less than love. And it is this season’s hope that we allow that to sink deep into our consciousness – that nothing is worth carrying and nothing will sustain us in this journey if not love.
Naging karaniwan na ang salitang ‘load’. Kinakargahan natin ang mga sasakyan, nilalagyan natin ng laman ang mga cellphone numbers natin, at nagdedeposito tayo sa ating mga e-banking accounts. Kasama rin sa kahulugan niyang salita ang mga binibitbit natin sa pang-araw-araw: mga personal na bagay na pinagtutuunan, trabahong isinasagawa, mga hamong kinakaharap. Tunay ngang ‘loaded’ at hitik sa kahulugan ang salitang iyan sapagkat tumutukoy sa pagpupuno at sa pagpapasan ng bigat.
Kung kaya maaaring mabuting kumustahin ang sarili: ano ang mga bitbit at dala ko sa aking buhay? Gaano sila kabigat? Mayroon ba akong maaaring ibaba at bitawan upang mapagaan ang aking mga pasanin? Kasabay nito, mahalaga ring itanong: paano ko pinupunuan ang sarili? Anong makabuluhang paglilinang ang pinipili ko para sa aking puso at kalooban? Saan ako humuhugot ng lakas at gana?
Paanyaya itong Kuwaresma na tunghayan at tanggapin si Hesus na nagkaroon din ng Kanyang sariling pagpapasan dahil sa di-matutularan at di-mauunawaang pagmamalasakit sa atin. Subalit hindi Niya ito ginawa nang hungkag sapagkat pinanatili at pinalakas Siya ng pag-ibig ng Ama at pinasigla ng Kanyang pusong yumayakap sa atin. At may katulad na paanyaya sa atin: na bitbitin lamang natin iyong mga dahil at mula sa pag-ibig, at na punuin ang sarili nang walang iba kung hindi pag-ibig. Nawa hayaan nating tumimo iyon sa ating pagmamalay – na walang karapatdapat na pasanin at walang ibang magtataguyod sa paglalakbay natin kung hindi pagmamahal.
#ateneoishome #aihlentenreflections