|
About
CFCFFL
Who
is the CFCFFL?
The
Movement for Restoration Our
Covenant
Our
Mission and Vision
Our Statement of philosophy
Our
Core Values
Family Ministries Kids
for Family and Life (KFL) Youth
for Family and Life (YFL)
Singles
for Family and Life (SFL)
Handmaids
for Family and Life (HFL)
Servants
for Family and Life (SvFL)
Wish
to JOIN?
The
highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity,
choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over
popularity.
Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for THERE IS
NEVER A WRONG TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
-
Bishop Soc Villegas
25 July 2007
|
<<Go
back to menu
LESSONS OF JOB
(Part 4)
GOD ABOVE THE FLOOD
In the aftermath of Ondoy,
the nation is in collective mourning for the disaster that has befallen
it. Many have lost possessions, even their homes, and have inadequate
resources with which to rebuild their lives. Mired in the problems of
the present, many wonder what the future holds.
As usual, it is not all bleak. There is a silver lining in every cloud.
We have witnessed how the nation has also responded to help those
afflicted. Here already is one blessing. The disaster has been a great
opportunity to bring out the best in the hearts of concerned citizens.
People have opened their hearts and their wallets to give. People have
set aside their other concerns and priorities to help those in need.
The challenges are great. How to rebuild lives. How to prevent similar
disasters. How to take care of the poor among us.
Much reflection will happen, and that is good. We are often so caught up
in the swirling world around us that we fail to consider what is really
important in life.
The most important, of course, is to be mindful of God and to live our
lives in and for Him. God is in control of nature's forces. God has a
wonderful plan for our lives and we just need to know such plan and
align our lives with it. Suffering brings purification and helps align
us with God's plan. We need to see what God is doing, even as we are
unable to grasp the grandeur and majesty of His divine actions.
In today's reading, we look to the consolation Jerusalem extended to her
afflicted children. "My children, bear patiently the anger that has
come from God upon you; Fear not, my children; call out to God! He who
brought this upon you will remember you. As your hearts have been
disposed to stray from God, turn now ten times the more to seek him; for
he who has brought disaster upon you will, in saving you, bring you back
enduring joy." (Baruch 4:25a,27-29).
God is angry at us? Yes, for all our infidelities. For our unconcern for
our fellow men, especially the least among us. For our degradation of
the environment. "The flood shall sweep away his house with the
waters that run off in the day of God's anger." (Job 20:28). But
God is merciful. Even His chastisement is proof of His love and mercy,
for it is intended to turn us away from greater disaster and bring us
back to Him. So we bear our affliction patiently. God is forming us, and
it takes some time to do that. In the meantime, we need not fear,
because our lives and well-being are in His hands, and we are His
beloved children whom He loves. In the meantime, we pray. We call out to
God. We focus our minds and our hearts and our whole being on Him. We
examine our lives. We repent of sin. We resolve to do better. We
patiently wait for His deliverance. "Be still before the Lord; wait
for God." (Psalm 37:7a).
God is our savior. Jesus already saved us through the cross. The Father
continues to bring that salvation to us, through the crosses that come
into our lives. We rejoiced in our salvation by the sacrificial
suffering and death of our Lord Jesus. We continue to rejoice even in
our grief over our Ondoy disaster, for our affliction brings us even
closer to God. We look over the havoc wreaked by the flood, but in the
dark ugliness of the muck and the mire, we see the radiance of God, who
is our salvation. "The Lord sits enthroned above the flood! The
Lord reigns as king forever!" (Psalm 29:10).
"Then the Lord addressed Job out of the storm ...." (Job
38:1). With every affliction there are lessons to be learned. I pray
that we will all have the time to listen.
God bless and protect you all.
frank
(October 03, 2009)
Go
to Part 5>>
|
