A PEOPLE THAT LONGS TO SEE GOD’S FACE
Back
in the day, people formed fans’ clubs and would organize annual
conventions to extol the virtues of their favorite movie star. Nowadays,
they form cyber groups, like Facebook fan pages that are no longer for
movie stars, but simply showbiz or public personalities. Behind such
groups is basically a longing to be identified with the celebrity in
question, a desire to belong to his or her company, and definitely a
wish to always be within the shadow of whoever it is they adulate.
It almost sounds like we have a similar fans’ club in the First Reading
— a horde of 144,000 (read: countless!) — who, it is said, “follow the
Lamb wherever He goes.” This crowd, however, did not sign up, sign in or
log on to a dedicated website. They do not belong to an exclusive,
private and secret group, who were conscripted against their will, just
to belong to some kind of mutual admiration club.
While the fan clubs we now know have to do with people who might be
really focused on their need to belong and to be identified with a
celebrity, those who “follow the Lamb wherever He goes” became followers
not because they desired to belong, but on account of the fact that
they “were washed by the blood of the Lamb.” They were redeemed, saved,
“ransomed as the firstfruits of the human race for God and the Lamb.”
You and I, by God’s singular grace and gift, can hope to be counted
among the innumerable throngs mentioned above. We did not choose God —
no, He chose us and saved us, and considered us His very own.
Our task remains to keep this “holy longing” for God and His promises
alive in our hearts. It is easy to lose sight of the goal. We can fall
along the way, as we have done repeatedly, and be waylaid by other
desires that have nothing to do with God.
“Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.” We are filled
with that “holy longing” to one day be counted among them. Never allow
us to exchange You for the lesser gods the world offers! Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB
REFLECTION QUESTION: How do you keep your “holy longing” for God alive in your heart?
Enkindle in me the fire of Your love, Lord.
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