See you!
The story is told about a policeman who flagged down a driver for a traffic violation. The policeman said: “You made a U turn. Did you not see the ‘no U turn’ sign?” The driver scratched his head and said: “I saw it, sir. I did not see you!”
* * *
Today is Palm Sunday, the start of the Holy Week. In today’s Gospel (Mt. 27, 11-54), we hear the account of the passion of our Lord
Jesus Christ according to St. Matthew, from the time Jesus stood before Pilate up to the time He died on the cross. May we see the Lord, and may we see the Lord’s personal love for each one of us, especially this Holy Week.
* * *
Why do we not see the Lord? What makes us not see the Lord? Our “U turns,” our sins, make us not see the Lord. When we focus on ourselves and on our selfish desires, we lose sight of the Lord. May we see our sinfulness, and accept God’s invitation for us to repent and turn away from our sins.
* * *
Our worldly concerns, especially our worldly attachments to possessions and relationships, can make us not see the Lord. How difficult it is to see the Lord when we are so focused on money, power, fame, and pleasures. May we see the futility and vanity of greed and selfishness.
* * *
Our problems can make us lose sight of the Lord. Our pains and misfortunes can make us turn away from the Lord. How many people have turned their backs on the Lord, in anger or in resentment because they received trials from Him? May we see the Lord in all our tears and fears.
* * *
But wait, there are also people who are so blessed or so righteous but do not really see the Lord! There are people who, so focused on their blessings, forget the Giver of their blessings. And there are people who are righteous, who, so focused on their righteousness, become self-righteous and proud.
* * *
I received a text message from a friend who told me how relieved and how light he felt after he went to confession. For 30 years he had turned his back on God in sin, in anger, and in unbelief. “I gave up on Him, but all these years He never gave up on me,” my friend said. “Please pray for me not to go astray again until the time He calls me home to be with Him.”
* * *
“Going home.” These were the words posted on the coffin of Lawrence Benedict, who choked to death because of a medicine tablet he had taken. It is so hard to understand how such a thing can happen. Among those present at the funeral Mass for this 12-year-old boy was a 92-year-old woman. That, too, is hard to explain or understand. Whether one is 12 or 92, the reminder is that we will all go home, and see the Lord face to face sooner or later.
* * *
As we go about our observance of the Holy Week, may we not be so focused on traditions and obligations that we lose sight of the Lord who simply wants our sincere love and conversion. Let the Holy Week make us holy, but not only in a temporary and superficial way. May our personal sanctification and devotions make us see our mission especially to our people and to our nation.
* * *
May we see the Lord in the realities we are encountering as a country and as a people. God is truly and really present in the natural and manmade calamities that confront us. Through it all, may we see the big picture that God is in command, He has a plan, He is in control, and He is with us always.
* * *
“I look at life from both sides now.” This line from a song in the 1970s helped me grow up as a teenager then. Now that I am 60, the song I am singing is “I look at life from God’s heart now.” Everything that happens is all a part of our journey to God’s heart. Whatever situation we encounter, happy or sad, and whatever people we meet, good or bad, should lead us closer to God’s heart. It all makes sense if we see life as a journey leading to God’s heart.
* * *
Inviting you to a Lenten retreat on April 17, Holy Thursday (Father Orbos), and on April 18, Good Friday (Sr. Techie Rodriguez), at the Heritage Center, 5 Catanduanes Street (near the corner of West Avenue and Del Monte Avenue), Quezon City. Admission is free, 9 a.m. to 12 noon. For inquiries, please call 3765780 and 3711221.
* * *
“Journey to God’s Heart,” a Holy Week special, will be aired on Holy Thursday (2 p.m.) and on Good Friday (3 p.m.) over ABS-CBN and TFC. It is produced by Moments With Fr. Jerry Foundation Inc. We would like to acknowledge the generosity of the following sponsors, especially the pilgrims who took part in making this Lenten project possible: Petrona Bucad Lim Scholarship Foundation Inc., PLDT, Boracay Tropics, Bridgestone, Calapan Ventures Inc., Gothong Southern, Hotel Celeste, Max’s, Pagcor, PCSO, and The Pilgrims’ Center.
* * *
May the Holy Week be not only a week of sight-seeing but also a week of Lord-seeing, people-seeing, and self-seeing.
* * *
A moment with the Lord:
Lord, may I see you more clearly, especially in this Holy Week. Amen.
