Daily Reflections - February 20,2013

WHEN A HANDICAP BECOMES AN ADVANTAGE

 

It is almost natural for us to think that persons who directly experienced the physical presence of Jesus during His earthly ministry were truly blessed. The words of the Lord Jesus in our Gospel, however, make us have second thoughts on this. He says that the people of Nineveh in the time of Jonah, and the Queen of Sheba in Solomon’s reign — persons who never saw Jesus personally — were, in a way, more blessed. For while the contemporaries of Jesus got to see Him and all His works, these grace-filled experiences failed to touch their hearts and minds. On the other hand, the Ninevites and the Queen of Sheba repented and believed in God when they saw the imperfect signs during their lifetime.

Days before I sat down to write this reflection, I had to condole with a couple who have been very active in the Marriage Encounter and Family Encounter apostolates. They just lost their 34-year-old daughter to a long and hopeless bout with a degenerative, incurable and fatal genetic syndrome that affected her muscular contractions. The daughter died due to complications in the lungs and the hardening of her throat muscles that strangulated her. What could have even been more painful for the couple was that they were bidding goodbye to an only child! They were, in fact, witnessing the end of their family line.

In the midst of this devastating experience though, the calmness and deep faith of the man and his wife was most touching. Where loss could have made others bitter, they have allowed God’s assuring love to envelop them instead. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP       

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: What dark moments have you gone through as an individual and as a family? How did you manage to go through these? Do you know of anyone going through some faith crisis? Include this person in your prayers today.

 

Thank You, Lord, for keeping me company during the dark moments of my life.