“LIFE
IS A CHALLENGE.” This is the thought that keeps lingering in my mind as I go
through the duties and responsibilities entrusted to me.
I have often heard that ‘LIFE is a
GIFT’. Yes, indeed, it is a gift,
because it comes from God without even our asking for it. Every human being is given this gift at the
time of conception. However, how one uses
or spends this gift depends a lot on the circumstances of his life.
Looking back at my past life, I could see that this gift is full of
challenges. The challenges of sickness
came to me as early as at the age of five years old when I together with my
elder sister and younger brother were victims in an epidemic of “measles”. I was the only one who survived.
Then at age fourteen up to twenty I was afflicted with a lingering
sickness called “osteomylitis”. I had to
undergo two major operations and one year of clay treatment to overcome it.
In the field
of education, I was beset with were several challenges. I did not meet the challenges of the
priesthood and hence, I opted to leave the seminary when I was about to finish Theology. However, I succeeded in finishing Philosophy
at the University of Santo Tomas, and Master in Business Administration at the Ateneo de Manila University.
In the field
of employment, I went through several
challenges – salesmanship, office work, public service, and education.
In the field
of evangelization, I was challenged with
the task of being an Archdiocesan Catechetical Coordinator for eighteen years.
As a family
man, I was challenged with the task of providing for the needs and education of eight living children.
All these experiences corroborate my
viewpoint that LIFE is a CHALLENGE.
God, in his infinite wisdom, has
given the Gift of Life to every man in this world. It is a Gift, however, that, in general,
poses a threefold challenge: the challenge of FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE.
The challenge of FAITH – is the
challenge to believe that there is a God, the Creator of the Universe, despite
all the destructions being done by mankind.
The challenge of HOPE – is the
challenge to trust in God’s providence which assures an everlasting peace and joy
for all his creatures, despite all the machinations of the evil one.
The challenge of LOVE – is the
challenge to have a personal relationship with God and with one’s fellowmen, despite
all the human travails caused by men’s imperfections in this world.
I pray for the grace to be able to
meet all these challenges and thus give back to God the GIFT of LIFE, FULLY
ACCOMPLISHED.
by: Buddy Cagurangan
April
15, 2012
