Together again

The happiest moment for us when we were growing up was when Mama would alight from the bus in the afternoon, coming from the barrio school where she was teaching. I and my siblings would all run and embrace her, calling out her name. It was a happy moment. She was home, and we were together again, and that was all that mattered!

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In today’s Gospel (John 14:15-21), Jesus tells His disciples: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” We have the assurance that the Lord is with us, and He wants to be with us always, and in all ways.

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It is hard to say goodbye, but the promise, the assurance of meeting again, or being together again, makes it all bearable and worthwhile. Before the Lord ascended into heaven, He gave us the Advocate, the Holy Spirit to be with us, and to remind us of our homecoming, and reunion with Him in Heaven, someday.

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It is hard to say goodbye even to my dog, Bruce, who follows me and stays with me wherever I am. He senses when I have to go out, and even boards the car ahead of me. But when I tell him: “Stay. I will be back,” he goes down. He obeys and waits for me at our front door until I return. The loyalty, obedience, and faithfulness of Bruce to me is something that edifies and inspires me and reminds me to be more loyal, obedient, and faithful to my own Lord and Master.

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Happy Mother’s Day! I am writing this column in Lourdes, France. At the call of Mama Mary, I am here with Filipino pilgrims to heed her call for repentance and renewal, and prayer for peace in the whole world. It is our mothers who call us to come closer to God, to become better persons, and to be more kind and loving to others. Yes, it is our mothers who gather us to be together and to be better and stronger.

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It is Military Week in Lourdes and there are so many soldiers from all over the world who are here on a pilgrimage. The atmosphere is solemn, and festive to see so many men and women in uniform and to witness them with their marching bands on parade. Most touching is to see them in the evening rosary procession and to see them kneel down in prayer and adoration. Behind their uniforms and their arms, they have hearts that want peace. Yes, the soldier is a child, like you and I.

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Let us not give up on Mama Mary’s call to peace. Let us keep on praying and working for peace in our hearts, in our families, in our country, and in the world. Let us give peace a chance, and let us give the next generation after us a better world, a better life. Let not greed and selfishness destroy us, and the only Earth we have.

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“Montserrat” is a Spanish word that literally means a serrated, jaded mountain with rugged, sharp, and rough rock formations. We ask ourselves today: Am I a mountain with rough and sharp edges that prevent people from coming near? Am I so unreachable and so high up there, and not very welcoming at all? Do people avoid me because they have to put up with me? It is humility that can remove our sharp edges. It can even level a mountain that might be you and me.

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May Mama Mary help us to be together again, and grow in love again and again. It was in the Benedictine Monastery in Montserrat where St. Ignatius surrendered his sword and consecrated his life for peace and mission for God’s kingdom. What is your sword that hurt others? Ask Mama Mary to help you stop hurting people from now on. It is time to lay down your sword, take up your cross, and follow Him, with Mary, our Mother and Model.

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A Moment with the Lord: Lord, help us not to give up on peace and love in our lives. Amen.

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