Posted by The WORD in other words (2023) by Fr Noel Rebangcos SVD — Catholic Trade Manila
Friday 4th Week of Lent
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
After completing my three-year service in the Mission Home in Christ the King Mission Seminary as Superior Delegatus, a new ministry was offered to me. The ministry was hospital chaplaincy work. Then came the Covid 19 pandemic. Being a senior citizen, I started to have reservations regarding my new assignment for health reasons. I was urged by a friend to request a change of assignment.
I surrendered everything to the Lord in humble prayer, believing that the Lord has a better plan for me, and he knows best what is good for me. After some time, my phone rang one morning, and lo and behold, it was the Provincial Superior informing me that at the moment I’m not going to the hospital for chaplaincy work. I could only but whisper a prayer of thanksgiving to God.
Jesus shows his reservations in going to Judea as today’s Gospel episode recounts. Why? As the Gospel explains, “…because the Jews were trying to kill him.” An imminent danger is awaiting him. The Gospel continues, “… he (Jesus) himself also went up, not openly as it were in secret.” (John 7, 2)
Jesus’ resoluteness to carry out his Father’s plan is much stronger than the threat of death. Putting himself under the care and protection of the loving Father is what he needed to fulfill his mission. As one commentary puts it, Jesus’ mission is, “Not just to tell us about God but to show us God.” In a way he surrenders everything to the Father, trusting that the Father knows best what is good for him. Difficult might be Jesus’ mission, their love for each other gave him the strength to overcome the difficulties that the mission entails.
Every day we, too, have challenging and diverse missions to do. Let’s invite Jesus to be a part of our everyday decision-making, whether big or small, for we know that he is the one who is guiding and leading us. Surrendering our life, our plans, our missions to the Lord is not an act of weakness. On the contrary, it is an act of faith, recognizing God as our loving Father who knows what is best for us. It is an act of allowing God to be the “mover” in our life.
Lent is the time to recognize and appreciate God’s presence in our day-to-day living. It is a season of thanksgiving for the Father’s goodness in our lives. Let me end with a quote from Facebook which is worth sharing: “Thankfulness keeps the candle of HOPE burning even through the darkest night.”
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