For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them -Matthew 18:20

It’s been quite a while since I've first joined the youth ministry. Oftentimes I would think before Saturday activities, if not because of the ministry, where would I have been? Was I to become a constant melancholic being that never saw the light? Or perhaps a wanderer whose labyrinth is infinite? In pursuit of the answers, I tend to end up always in the same answer: I would never know what the future could have brought if I picked the opposite path. The only sure thing is that the Lord planned to put me in this state in life and the best thing I could do now is be grateful about that and as much as possible help others know God as well, in this early age.

In today’s readings, we are reminded that even when life is like a battlefield, even when the wave of blues is never ending and even when it feels like it always gets harder every single time, God gave us a battalion of family and friends to survive the war, He gave us surfboards to continuously ride the waves and He unceasingly loves us and says yes, it might get harder before it gets easier, but it will get better.

We are never alone, and no one really is. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are given a life mission: no one gets left behind. The Church is like of a machine; if one’s not there, it is not gonna function well.

 In the Gospel, Jesus said to His disciples ‘hey you if there’s a conflict between you people, fix that and do not let it destroy you guys.’ This tells us that our squad is composed of imperfect humans and one day someone’s gonna screw up. But this is just a mundane thing and it is ought to be answered by a mundane response, as well. And mundane response does not connote being snob and not trying to understand. Even when it is awful to hug a cactus, it is rightful to sacrifice for worth it people.

Take note: everyone is worth it. Remember God said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

A broken ship cannot journey to a greener pasture. Therefore, we must fix ourselves first before we fix others. And if we do this, with one heart and by the grace of God, we’ll be triumphant. We’ll be praying for others as much as we would pray for ourselves.

This is why I am in awe of God. He has brought me here to become a better person with the help of the people around me. This does not also only apply to being in a ministry. Family and friends has helped me with all my flaws that hindered me into being a better woman.

It’s like God sent us secret ninjas whose aim is to guide us when we could be so toxic. He never wanted to make us feel alone all along. He sent us partners to walk with in the storm. Maybe this is His secret message. It is God whispering ‘hold on, my child. You’ll see the rainbow once more.’

- Iana Ilaya