Monday, August 20, 2007

Timeless Specials #2: Love does not wait

Yes... Love is not for tomorrow... it is not for later... it should be done now! In every moment and opportunity... love must be done today at this time.

This is a lesson I will never forget.
I was supposed to help in the mini-seminar about worship and I want that my sister attend the seminar. So I "texted" her of her location because she was not there yet.
And then she replied that she will not come. But because I want her to be there, I replied and it sounded a little bit angry, which is somehow true. I felt a little bit irritated then that my sister is passing up an opportunity to learn and maybe share it to others.

She replied back that she will attend the mini-seminar. But I know it is just because I got "angry". So I didn't reply back to her because I may end up fighting with her.

But the unthinkable happened. My mommy and daddy was out then and was planning to go to the seminar by jeep. Then, she collapsed just before she left and was rushed immediately to the hospital. I got the news a little bit later from mommy. She knew what my last reply to my sister because my sister texted her about my text. I asked if was it my fault but she assured me it was not because before my sister left, she was telling mommy that she's a little bit sick. But it didn't help, the burden was with me and I can't concentrate on preparing for my talk.

I was thinking what if my sister will not wake up. It may be partly my fault that she collapsed because of my "persuasive" powers in my text to her. I may not have the chance to say sorry and make amends. But what really burdens me, was that I didn't try to understand her situation before I get irritated. I was not loving her as a brother to a sister. I was not doing my mission. And now this happened that she collapsed without her doing something strenuous. I stormed the heavens and the airwaves (by texting) to pray for my sister.

My prayers were quickly answered because she recovered immediately right after she arrived at the hospital and mommy and daddy was also there. And it was right before my talk that the news arrived. The burden was lifted and I gave out a sigh of relief.

And I reflected upon it while giving my talk (yeah, I was doing two things at that time...) I realized that love does not wait on you. You must always love everybody and you must always do it now... there is no other time to do it but now. People you love may be gone in a flash and you may regret not loving them to the hilt. It was my mission: to learn to love and to show love. And I am not doing it!! That's why I am so burdened that time. I was not doing what God is telling me to do. I still am going back to my selfish self. I still get angry to my parents, I still get a little bit irritated with my brother and sisters. I still am a little bit snobbish to my ministry friends. I still get irritated to people that doesn't follow God. I still get too righteous... And by doing that, I lose every second of opportunity to show love even to the people close to me. I'm not showing God's love to them...

May it be that I remember this day. So I will have the constant effort to love them as I love myself. I may falter, fail, fall, sin... but I will still struggle. It's better to love than to preach how to love. It's better to love than to teach them doctrinal and Catholic truths. They will never understand the truths of the Universal Church if there is no love. They will never understand the teachings if there is no love. They will never learn if there is no love. For even if there is faith, hope, gifts of the Holy Spirit, friends, family, teachings, ministry, great songs and the like, if there is no love, it will be noisy gong or clanging cymbal. Even if I perfected my craft in preaching, in business, and in other things, if there's no love to my family, friends and neighbors, I will have nothing and I will not gain nothing.



For all these things exists; but the greatest of these things will always be love.



PS1. back to our next topic in our subseries: I Will Love Today

PS2. Watch out for our next set of topics: Being Complete

1 comment:

Yan said...

you're right! love does not wait... :D