We bear the nature and character of Jesus when we reconcile ourselves to God and to others unconditionally.

Theme: We bear the nature and character of Jesus when we reconcile ourselves to God and to others unconditionally.

Gospel: Luke 2: 22-40

Often we go astray from God and the people around us. Often we become too succumbed into our work that we don’t even bother to spare even a minute for talking to others, let alone God.

Recently, I’ve been working too much, all my energy and time taken up like a sponge by school and studying. I wake up at 6 am, just giving 30 seconds to Thank God for another day. Is that even enough? No. I realize now that it’s insulting to God to just give him 30 seconds of your time when He gave you one lifetime. Then everyone sits at the table and takes breakfast. Everyone stirs up a healthy conversation but then I’m too preoccupied by what’s gonna happen on that day, thus I don’t get to take part in the conversation. I leave, go to school for 12 hours and go home at night. I take my dinner with the family, still preoccupied of the things I have to do. After accomplishing on my list, I go to bed, try to sleep. But then the feeling of loneliness engulfs me like a tidal wave. I realize that for the whole day for months now, I’ve been desolate...Encapsulated in my monastic cell.

Jesus formed a community. And although Jesus was alone at times, He never severed the bond and relationships He had while still on earth. He connected to people no matter how much stuff he had to do. He always took an ample amount of time to pray and talk to our Father and to strengthen relationship with others.

I am not alone. We are not alone. We are not instinctively a non-social being. It is embedded in our genes that we have the drive and the need to be connected. Let’s give our time and effort to the people that love us and the people we love back. Trust me, I’ve experienced both ends of a situation wherein a person took me for granted and I did the same to him. Now we’re stuck in circles finding ways to come back to each other to no avail.  It’s not a nice experience.

Don’t let relationships just die on their own. Communication is important. Connection is significant. God is always looking for ways for us to confide in Him, we should reciprocate. We become more like Jesus when we become a communitarian.

Remember that moments pass by with each tick of the clock and we are not getting any younger.

- Bea del Fierro