Conversion, now

The story is told about a man who arrived in heaven and was given a tour by Saint Peter. After some time, they arrived at what was to be the man’s house—a very small nipa hut that didn’t even have walls. When the man asked why this was so, Saint Peter said: “Son, that is because those were the only materials you sent ahead when you were still alive.”

Today is the first Sunday of Lent. In today’s Gospel (Mk. 1, 12-15), Jesus tells us the best way to start our journey to heaven: “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” It all begins with a humble and contrite heart, and continues with a firm resolve to put God first before oneself, and to keep saying our prayers and doing good deeds.

The greatest temptations that we encounter in our journey to God’s heart are the 4 Ps: Pera (money), Power, Pride, and Pleasures of life. As long as we deify these, it will be difficult for us to go to heaven. Let us not postpone our conversion. If today we hear His voice, let us not harden our hearts. May we have little or no regret that we loved the Lord too little, or too late.

Sharing with you this beautiful realization of Saint Augustine: “Late have I loved you, beauty so ancient and so new. Late have I loved you! Lo, you were within, but I outside, seeking there for you, and upon the shapely things you have made I rushed headlong, I, misshapen. You were with me but I was not with you. They held me back from you, those things which would have no being were they not in you.”

Angels are real! And they minister to us. They shield us from danger and temptations. Today, with gratitude, let us pray to our guardian angel (whom we hope to meet face to face in heaven someday): “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love entrusts me here. Ever be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen!”

I believe that it was the Blessed Mother and my guardian angel who protected me from a near-fatal accident last week in Subic. The engine of the golf cart we were riding while visiting a religious shrine conked out, and the cart started to roll back without brakes. Thank God the driver hit a tree that stopped us from going over the ravine.

I was thrown out of the golf cart and landed head first, cushioned by my two arms. I could have broken my neck, or my arms, or my legs, but I was all right. None of my brother priests were thrown out. All we had were bruises and bumps. We were all protected by Mama Mary and our guardian angels.

“Jesus, I trust in You. Mama Mary, I love you!” I found myself saying those words continuously with my face down as I literally bit the dust. If only for this, I am happy to find out that my lips will be blurting out the name of the Lord and of Mama Mary when I come to my life journey’s end.

At the doorsteps of eternity, I felt, in all humility, that I did not live an empty or vain life. But I also felt that I could have done more, and could have been more of the person God wanted me to be. That, precisely is what I intend to do from here on. The rest of my life, the best of my life, by the grace of God.

Bantay Matanda invites you to a lay forum on geriatrics and Alzheimer’s disease at Salitao Hall, Christ the King Seminary, E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, Quezon City, on Feb. 24, Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. For inquiries, please call 3732262, 9982548, or 0917-4167849

Think about this: “Power, money, and titles are ‘fruits of life,’ but God, family and friends are the ‘roots of life.’ We can manage without the fruits, but we can never stand without the roots.”

A moment with the Lord:

Lord, remind us that life is short. Help us not to postpone our conversion, and not to postpone our loving. Amen.