Courage Under Turbulences Of Life

The continued test for us all, globally, are the catastrophic phenomenon, be it atmospherical or environmental. The earthquake that took so many lives, destroyed hundreds of properties just as the flash floods from in many nations, among towns and cities. Very recently, the experience of killings in broad daylight, shooting women right on the face, bribing in exchange of physical and sexual abuse, . Not only these, we are living the reality of long march of protests for irresponsible leaders, the devastating truth of corruption, the numbness  and silence of the wealthy and powerful (who could have been guiding lights for many), the despairing search for what matters as fake news and many trials and senate hearings are empty promises and blaming one another.

Yet, “in all these we are conquerors” as St Paul puts it… Despite all the challenges and hardships, the glimmering light of hope is awaken as we share these experiences of fear, anxieties and doubts with the people who truly experience them. We sail through possibilities for deliberations, reconciliation, transparency, from disturbing ambiances to common search for relief, peaceful agreements to reconciliation. Each one must continue to toil in the land looking towards the land of promise.

In the Scriptures, we are constantly reminded in many occasions of the Old Testament and the Gospels, of going back to our inner circle, to our own selves, to consider looking at our own specks and the failures we have in resolving “little battles”, small offenses or a frail mistake or deceit. The book of Baruch 4:18,20 teaches us confidence in God and in the good that may come “the one who has brought this evil upon you must himself deliver you from your enemies’ hands… while I live I will cry out to the Eternal One”. This is a reason for great joy, to continually hope! We find ways, create possibilities together as we continue to put our trust in Him who is faithful and true down through the ages.

The courage we altogether bear to surmount all these challenges of everyday life is a source of the very voice we wish to hear in the battle cry: “Take courage, my children; call upon God…” (Baruch 4:21).Pray. Listen. Be one. Hope.

This Jubilee Year of Hope reminds us that we all are bearers of hope in the very place we live, in the midst of the suffering people we deal with, among the unspoken languages of the poor and the oppressed. We can be the voices of those who lost their strength to speak of their sufferings, of their unspeakbale experience of injustice and oprression. That, amidst the noise, we need to listen, for this is the core of the turmoils in our society, as not all has the courage nor the chance to be heard.

We all are agents of hope and of transformation…life is our great horizon to unravel and stay present at any given time.

MVPR, Basilan, Philippines