Keep GOING!

At some point in our life, we are tempted to give up. We tend to ask ourselves, for how long will our shoulders bear the burden of my plans and aspirations? The idea that all of our work and time invested was in vain crosses our minds one day or another. Circumstances might lead us to unprecedented sorrow and shock but that’s not life. Life is about how we maneuver our lead. For me, the rise and fall of my life has thought me many things. Should you about to stop your journey or want a detour, consider my reasons to keep going.

You are not unworthy

On April 9, 2017, I was recommended to take another state of life. That recommendation pained me a lot. The criticisms and nuisance still found their way to bring back that pain of ‘unworthiness’. I was unworthy to serve His people. I was unworthy to serve His Church. I was unworthy of the priesthood. But priesthood is not only the way to serve the Lord. Indeed when a door closes, God opens a window (cf. Malachi 3:10). Now I am a teacher, a mental health advocate, and a church and youth volunteer. Now I have found my purpose, maybe not for the priesthood, but in service. In our own little way, for sure, God greatly rewards our day.

Master Oogway once said, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it’s called present.” Dwelling on the past makes us stagnant and unproductive. Let us remember that our past never defines us. Hence with fervent prayer and faith, let’s forget what is behind, strain toward what is ahead, and fulfill our purpose. We may be unworthy of something you think, but for sure God will make you worthy ‘to win the prize which He called you heavenward in Christ Jesus’ (cf. Phil 3:14).

You are not unloved 

One time when we had our Mental Health conference in Ubay, a member in which a group I facilitated told me, “Sir, last month namatay akong mama. Last week, na-ospital akong papa. Karong semanaha, nadakpan akong igsuon.” I was in deep silence listening to his resentments. While he was looking to my crucifix pendant, he said, “Asa man ang Ginoo sa akong kinabuhi, sir? Dili man unta ko addict. Nagtarong man unta kog skwela. Ngano naman ni, sir?” 

After all the turmoil, discouragement, and desperation and, giving up is not an option. You may not feel love. Life might be tough, but God has His purpose, and it is for you to see the rainbow you have to see the rain. After all success comes to those who persevere. A seed doesn’t germinate because of the law of nature; it germinates because it fights for a chance to live. When a small seed doesn’t give up, it would be a shame for us to give up. Remember, you are “much more precious than of gold”. 

With full conviction, while holding my pendant, I said to him, “You may not feel the mundane love, but I assure you since you are precious and honored in His sight, and because He loves you.” (cf. Is. 43:4) 

Change is not inconstant 

               A priest narrated the story of a man pissed off his car. There he brought his car to change oil. The owner begged for the mechanic to fix his car. With all checking up, the mechanic recommended to keep the oil and change the car.

               That story brought me to question myself on what to keep and what to change. We are now on this “new normal”. We might lament what we were used to do before. We cannot celebrate lavish fiestas. We cannot go on vacation. But life is not about permanence, safekeeping and luxury, rather changing and recalibrating our mindset to the “new normal”, to deal rightly with this pandemic. Heraclitus once said, “Everything is in constant flux.” We might be so much engrossed with our affections, being so much attached to what is temporal. But nothing in this world is inconstant; everything must be in “new normal”. 

CoViD-19 teaches us what to keep and what to change. All things are but ephemeral, but God keeps His love constant. 

               On the treadmill of life, we might enjoy or stumble, but we must know how to pace things and reflect on what’s working and what’s not. Although reflection and renewal is a tough and painful process, life is built on undergoing this process continuously. We may don’t know what lies ahead, or can barely see the next step—might be a rich forest of opportunities, or a vast emptiness of the unknown. As the nursery rhyme says, STOP from what you’re used to, LOOK from a different perspective, LISTEN to your inner voice, and ACT to take forward and keep going. At the end of the day, ‘keep going’ leads us to what we aspire and results to our fulfillment.