Window Series #1: New Life Reflection

This was my reflection at the YLSS shepherding session/worship where the topic was about New Life and the gospel readings were about Jesus' Ascension.

This reflection is now the edited version of the talk.

Let’s have a look first at the readings to make a short point in my reflection

From: Luke 24:49a
And [behold] I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; (but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from high)

And from: Luke 24:51
As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven.

There are 2 points in this reflection that I do hope you will see before mag-tuluy-tuloy tayo sa worship.

1. Promise
2. Parted

Let’s define these 2 points:

Promise – a verbal commitment by one person to another agreeing to do something in the future
Parted – go one’s own away; move apart; separate (physically, emotionally, etc…)

Now that we have defined the 2 points I will ask you a weird question.

“Do you have a friend, family, relative, loved-one, love-team today?”

But that is not my weird question... This is the real question:

“Do you have a friend, family, relative, loved-one, love-team that parted from you (or you parted from them) by any reason may it be physical by distance or something, or you don't have the same wavelength anymore, or problems arose, or anything... The thing is you have parted from them or they have parted from you?"

Isn't is sad?

Your family or loved-ones or friends may be your “foundations”… People you look up to; people you look or talk to when you have seemingly big rpoblems in life; people who fulfills you; manages to handle you as you are; companions;

And then at one point you get separated... just like in the gospel, Jesus was the disciples’, foundation. Then he went up to heaven.

But I will ask you to look at it at another point of view, what if this parting that you had with your friend or your family member or your loved-one or for some of us here, special someone, is a means to have something new in life?

Let's say there is a need to have a new life… A new perspective maybe? A new look? Maybe a new habit? part of personality? new chapter in your book?

Something new to look forward to…

“How can it be that there is something new in my life when what really happened is that we got separated?!! What will I look forward to? What's NEW?!!"

Before we get into a new soap opera here, I will tell you the answer.

It is because of the promise…
the promise that God will give us something new…

In the gospel, Jesus promised to send the Paraclete before He parted from his disciples. He promised his disciples so that they can look forward to something new.

For us, God is also promising you something new… in every parting that will happen in our lives, God is promising something new… may it be spiritual, emotional maturity, physical, a new friend, a new perspective, a new way of life… and every parting may not need also human partings… but may also include parting from old habits… vices… sins… bondages… hurtful relationships… abuse… sexual desires… desires of the flesh…

God is promising new… if someone or something parts or is separated from you… or if you need to part from that person or from that thing or habit… and you have a prodding that you need to let go… let go… let go…

Remember this line guys… “Let go and let God…” (for those who attended the Summer Camp 2007 will add this “take over our lives… amen…”) but what I’m saying here is Let go and let God… because He is in control and he promises you something new.

To end this reflection, I will share you one last story…

Just a backgrounder, i have this close friend where I've shared this reflection before I wrote it down. This close friend of mine was the same person whom I've shared a similar instance of this reflection way back when I was 2nd year college and I was courting someone back then.

I said to her when we were riding at a swing “Alam mo, siya na…” (You know, I think she's the one)

Guys… I was 18 years old back then… and I've said many things that now I've come to realize it is something off and somehow a little bit stupid

“nasa kanya ang lahat ng hinahanap ko… close kami… masarap kasama… blah-blah… pero alam mo… kung hindi man siya… kaswerte ko na…”
(She got the things I'm looking for, for a girl: We are close, She's fun to be with... blah-blah... But you know, If she's not the one... then I'm very lucky)

She was confused by my statement. “Bakit?” (why?) She asked.

“kasi kung di man siya… may mas maganda pa kaysa sa kanya… “ (Because if she's not the one, Then there's someone out there for me who is more beautiful than her)

That is how I percieved God's promise for me… But somehow I forgot that promise when I was "dumped"…

But every parting has something new in my life... new haircut… new place to eat… new habit… new perspective… new set of friends…

That's why I believe that the promise will happen… The promise of something new.

This is the real story.

I have this very, very close friend of mine and somehow we get together all the time. But for some reason, we need to part ways. Not in the sense that we are angry at each other or misunderstandings or the need to change places… Let's just say there are some reasons where I have decided to part ways for awhile… still friends but part ways… It was a painful ordeal… To think our friendship was then blossoming into a great one and then poof... we need to separate. And I can’t stand when that person began to cry… My heart was crushed and I asked the Lord, “Kelangan ko ba itong gawin? Pwede bang ayusin niyo na lang ito without us having to part? Yung gigising ka na lang isang araw… tapos wala na!! ok na!!” (Do I have to do this? Can you just fix it without having us to separate? Like we will wake up one day... then it's gone!! We're ok!!)

I remembered that the Lord doesn't move that way. But he gave us a promise. He promised us to look forward to something new… may it be that the Lord will mold us into something new, or may it be a new perspective, a new friend that will keep our sanity intact, or someone to still keep us company, or a new mission in life, or still maybe a new way of life... and maybe… just maybe… if things are good and the Lord wills it… maybe we'll see each other in the future… or have a nice chit-chat for awhile… and we’ll look back at this moment where we were changed… I don’t know…

All I know is that the Lord has a promise... And He will do it at His perfect time… sabi nga sa 2nd reading, Hebrews 10:23,” Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy”

We still see each other every once-in-a-while… still friends… but that's it… Just like we said to each other… things happen :D

That's why for us (yep, including me) that is still looking at the sky asking God “Why now??!!” with matching drama effects… Let us take note what the 2 angels said from the 1st reading “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?”

We may be stuck here looking at the sky for so long… I think we may need to not look at the sky and ask… but we need to look forward to a new life that God has promised us… and we need it to claim it for ourselves… right?