To Find The Beautiful

“Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.”- Anne Frank

There are times when our days seem filled with gloom and all we could ever think of are sad and dreary thoughts. It is during such days when we grow old within, and our soul hungers for its true food.

The Best and Worst of Times

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
-Psalm 23:4, WEB

As I look back at my life today, I begin to see how many of the worst of times had also been the best of times, not because of the darkness but because of the light that had shined through, because of the love that had been there. And I thank God for His merciful heart, because He has allowed such things to happen. For I wouldn’t have chosen to undergo all those things myself. I would have been afraid! But God knew the good that would come out of it, and God’s hand was strong enough indeed to guide me so I may not completely fall.

To Gain What Matters Most

“Those who in fact risk all for God will find that they have both lost all and gained all.” – St. Teresa of Avila

Many times, it is when we have already detached ourselves from wanting to gain something that we start to receive what we have always prayed for. It is when we let go of everything to God that He blesses us with all things we really need.

When we arrive at that point in our lives when we are ready to lose everything else other than that which truly matters most, we arrive at that point when everything else that we receive from then on is gain.

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it. – Matthew 16:25, WEB

Make Space For Good Things

Let us allow ourselves to be surprised by God. – Pope Francis

Make space in your life for good things to come in. Open a door. Free up some time out of your busy schedule.

You don’t always have to be so full of activities here and there. You don’t always have to do the talking.

You can be still for a while and listen. You can allow some space in your heart for new dreams to be born and for God’s surprises to take place.

“In the beginning God created heaven, and earth. And the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God moved over the waters. And God said: Be light made. And light was made.” – Genesis 1:1-3, DRA

To Be Gentle

Gentleness can only be expected from the strong. – Leo Buscaglia

There are many people whose burdens are so heavy they are like boats full of stones. The weight that they carry is so much already they could hardly stay afloat.

For such people, every additional problem sent their way only makes it harder to carry on. It’s as though there comes a time when all it would take for them to sink is just one more painful blow – an insult, a cold shoulder, a harsh word, a rejection.

Think about the burdens other people carry. Let us not be that one more stone that would make their burdens unbearable. Let us not be the final blow that would snuff out what little hope they may have.

Instead, let us be like those who make other people’s burdens lighter. Let us be like those who are like quiet stars giving light, giving hope to those who look up to heaven in prayer.

“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold;
my chosen, in whom my soul delights…
He will not shout,
nor raise his voice,
nor cause it to be heard in the street.
He won’t break a bruised reed.
He won’t quench a dimly burning wick.”
-Isaiah 42:1-3, WEB

It Takes Time To Heal

…for I am the LORD who heals you. – Exodus 15, WEB-BE

It takes time to heal. We may understand things intellectually. We may forgive with our will. But our healing comes in seasons, times of waiting and of rest.

The pain doesn’t disappear in an instant. And the things that have been broken and lost are frequently not immediately restored.

When our hearts break, we have to pick up the pieces one by one. We have to start again each day, bearing the pain until we are whole again.

It takes time, but one day, our hearts will finally mend. We shall be stronger, better, more capable of compassion. Take heart! With patience and hope, look forward to that day when you shall regain even more than what you have lost.

Though shattered, lost and broken Though heart could barely bear it all… I know that I will smile again And I will smile again! -Wisdom Nwani

To Persevere To The Very End

Perseverance proves the depths of our desires. – Jocelyn Soriano

There are some things we seem to want for a moment. When the next moment comes however, we lose interest in it and we start to pursue other things. What happens is that our dreams vanish just as fast as they have arisen, only to be replaced by other dreams that also fail to be accomplished.

The truly valuable dreams are those that do not disappear quickly. They are those that we pursue even when times are difficult and everything seems to be against us.

It is not that we fail to be realistic, but it’s just that deep within us, we know the truth in our dreams. Even when we cannot see exactly how they can happen, we believe that they will. Even when we do not know every step we need to reach it, we have hope they shall be revealed to us in the right time.

We persevere only when something is embedded deeply within our hearts. We do not give up because we know that love never fails.

Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don’t give up. – Galatians 6:9, WEB-BE

Forgiving Those Who Do Not Know

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” – Luke 23:34, WEB

It is never easy to forgive, especially when we have been hurt so much. Even if we want to, how do we do it? Where do we start?

We can start by thinking about Jesus when He prayed for the forgiveness of those who do not know what they are doing.

It may be hard to believe. How can people not know what they are doing?

But in many cases, it is true; we do not know why we have done what we have done. We do not know why we uttered words that could hurt other people. We do not know why we failed to understand those who are dearest to us. We do not know why we failed to be more compassionate and merciful to those who are suffering.

We may be aware of the things we do, but not the entire consequences of our actions. No one may have forced us to do what we have done, but we have failed to reflect on the results of what we did. We often fail to consider other people’s feelings. Many times, we regret our actions because we wouldn’t have done them had we only known how much hurt and damage they would cause other people.

God is so merciful to us. He knows how ignorant we often are, and He offers us His forgiveness. Let us pray that we may also learn to forgive others who do not know what they do.

“…the Lord makes their ignorance the motive for his plea for forgiveness: he sees it as a door that can open us to conversion.” – Joseph Ratzinger

And I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service; although I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. – 1 Timothy 1:12-13, WEB

When No One Understands

Take heart, Jesus hears even the last echo of our pain. – St. Therese of Lisieux

There are times when we feel that no one understands our pain. We tell people how we suffer, but they do not know how deeply we truly hurt.

Where can we find comfort? We feel so alone in the dark that we could hardly believe in the light!

Look to Jesus, the suffering Jesus. Jesus does not merely promise us healing, He shared even our wounds. Jesus does not merely promise us life, He shared even our death!

Before your heart was even broken He knew the depths of your misery. He went before you in the darkness so you will not be alone even there.

Jesus knows your every sigh, your every tear. He has felt your most painful wounds, and He will never leave you alone. He will be right there with you, even when all the world turns away.

But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. -Isaiah 53:5, WEB-BE