Let God Be God

            “LET GOD BE GOD IN YOUR LIFE.”  This is the answer to the query on how God can truly reign in me which I asked myself during my ‘quiet time’.  In my honest search for the answer, I was enlightened by a statement from the ANAWIM WAY Booklet which reads: “The crucial question is whether we will let go of our self-sufficiency and actually let God have His way with us.” 

            After a deeper reflection on the statement, it dawned on me that this means a complete surrender of myself to God and let Him do with me as He pleases.  This, I believe, is the attitude that our Lord Jesus Christ meant when He said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls unto the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24)

            Many times as I played on the organ ‘LOSE YOURSELF IN ME AND YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF’.   I contemplate on the wonderful phenomenon of how a seed when buried in a ground disappears but allows a seedling to sprout in its place.  In a similar way this must be the way I should bury all the desires of my selfish nature and let God handle my life as He pleases.

            My very existence is, indeed, a Gift from God.  I believe it is a GIFT OF LIFE THAT IS EVERLASTING.  Only God knows how this LIFE should be spent in accordance with His infinite WISDOM.  With this gift of Life is also the gift of Freedom which He bestows on every person.  His plan could be thwarted by a person as he abuses his gift of freedom.  Herein lies the mystery of evil that is present in this world.  God, however, is in control of His creation, and despite all the evil in this world everything will turn out well for good for those who love God.

            A review of my past life made me realize that there were times when my selfish desires outweighed what should have been in accordance with God’s will.  These I now accept were caused by the evil of ‘concupiscence’ which, they say, afflicts everyman in this world.  By the Grace of God, however, I have come to be more and more attuned to the dictates of my conscience.  After experiencing a personal encounter with Christ, I have decided to really follow Him, considering Him truly as God, my Savior.

            During my daily visits to the Blessed Sacrament where JESUS is present whole and entire, I have been realizing more and more deeply my ‘nothingness’ and complete dependence on God for everything that I am and have.  Hence, for this wonderful Gift of God to me, I can think of no other better way to show my gratitude than to simply put myself completely at His disposal and let Him do with me as He pleases.  In this way I simply LET GOD BE GOD IN MY LIFE.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

August 31, 2013

See Christ In People

            “The real follower of Christ sees Christ in every person he meets.”  This is a statement from a Meditation for Spiritual Growth published in the Vatican II Weekday Missal. For me is the real challenge of Christianity.

              The Christian Faith tells us that Christ is the Savior of the World,  for through His Passion, Death and Resurrection He has provided the Grace of Redemption for all men, rich or poor, sinner or saint.   Hence, in every man He is present with His redeeming love.  With this presence He is extending to every man the Grace of Redemption.   Hence, when I meet a person I should see him as someone whom Christ loves and thus Christ would expect me to manifest His love for him, for He said: “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me” (Matt.25:40)

            Everyday I meet people from all walks of life.  It is, indeed, a challenge for me to act towards each one of them as Christ Himself would do.  For instance, when I ride in a tricycle, I am challenged to pay the driver in a manner that Christ would do, not based of what is just but on how  Christ’s love would be manifested.

            How to manifest Christ’s love to every person I meet is then the question that comes to me in my daily life.  At the end of the day I would review how I related to people I met and ask myself: “Have I manifested Christ’s love for them in what I have done?”

            When I participated in a PREX Seminar way back in January of 1994 the commitment I made in order to become a better Catholic was: TO SEE THE FACE OF CHRIST IN EVERY PERSON I MEET.  Since then I have been trying to put this into practice.  I must confess, however, that, indeed, it is a tall order.  Many times I have been confronted on how to manifest love to people who have hurt me.  In general, however, the big question is how to deal with persons whose acquaintance is temporary.  In most cases all I can get to know is their name.  It seems physically impossible to manifest love  to everyone who comes my way.  Hence, I believe that this challenge to love has to be applied in situations wherein one is in a position to help or serve.  

            Hence, seeing Christ in people I meet means being ready to be of service to everyone if and when needed.  As Christ has shown, love is manifested in service.

by: Buddy Cagurangan

August 25, 2013