SEEKING FOR A SIGN?

MARCH 16, 2011

by Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.

LUKE 11: 29 - 32

29 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the men of Nin'eveh, so will the Son of man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nin'eveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:

A BLESSED WEDNESDAY TO ALL!

Most often than not we always tend to be reactionary in our approach and attitude to life. We tend to know what needs to be done only after some misfortunes or failures to happen that would rock the boat. This would seem to mean that we always depend on and look for “SIGNS” to know what to do and what to implement. We cannot start from a blank sheet. We need to get it dirty first. Our civil servants come to realize certain “actions” or “projects” to be implemented and carried out only after some tragedy or calamities happen. At times the actions to be taken are too late for the damage or harm had already been suffered. Moreover, many of us seem to enjoy the freedom of not following indicative signs that would explain many fatal accidents in our highways. We understand the necessity of this signage as guides to safety, but we often ignore them. We need these safety-signs, but once they are there before us we simply ignore them.

The Gospel today pointed out how the people in the time of Jesus were seeking for “signs” that would serve as basis in believing Jesus’ calling for them to CHANGE from their evil ways. They were looking for the sign that the END is NEAR so that they can be prepared for it. Yet, even if the sign is given to them they would miss to recognize it because of the STUBBORNESS of their HEARTS. In fact, they miss the call of John the Baptist for REPENTACE. They also miss to recognize Jesus, except as an ordinary son of a carpenter and revolutionary, as the ultimate sign calling them to REFORM their lives. They ignored and rejected Jesus. Nineveh had accepted the call of God through Jonah, as the first reading of the day would show. Nineveh repented and they where spared from an impending disaster.

The eyes of the world are now focused on the tragedy that had struck Japan. The tragedy is so overwhelming that it does not simply destroy lives and properties, but it also destroys the HUMAN HEART/SOUL of the afflicted. 

A news clip in one of our leading Newspapers yesterday has the title “Misery in a Rich Asian nation: No gas, no water” could insinuate how the earthquake and the tsunami tragedy have caused MISERY on the human soul. The news clip started by quoting a 38 year old construction industry worker, “I’m giving up hope. I had a good life before. Now we have nothing. No gas, no electricity, no water.” HOPELESSNESS is the most tragic disaster that could wreck the human soul. This hopelessness runs in contrast to the HOPEFULL Filipinos during the Ondoy disaster. I can still remember vividly the images I saw on the television covering people evacuating. Some were on board inflated boats, while others were swimming. What caught my attention was the sight of those who swam and still manage to smile and wave at the camera covering their very distressing and dangerous situation. Are these people crazy? What keep them able to smile despite the fact that they have lost almost everything, even their own lives?

Lent is a time to reflect about LIFE and DEATH. Lent starts with Ash Wednesday to remind us of our mortal beginning. We come from dust and to dust shall we return. From the time of our birth we are already crawling near to our death. But before returning to where we begin, from nothing, just a speck of dust, we need to prepare so that we will not just end a dust that will be blown away by the wind into eternal void and nothingness. We need to prepare in order for us to face our end that would lead to an embrace of a new beginning, a NEW LIFE! Lent is about HOPE! It is about hope that if we change we will embrace the fruit of the victory of Jesus on the Cross-his RESURRECTION! The Filipino can still smile in the midst of a disaster because of the hope that there is always a new beginning. One can still start anew, that there is always something to start with. Lent is a reminder that we can always start anew!

What happened in Japan is a sign that calls us to be prepared all the time. The preparation is not just about physical survival from any spontaneous and unexpected calamity, but more so a preparation of our SOUL. Death could come anytime like a thief. It is a heart-breaking moment watching videos and footages on how the tsunami in Japan wreck havoc to anything on its way. Such a painful picture of the sudden loss of lives is already a POWERFUL SIGN that should wake us up. It is a call for us to be prepared to meet DEATH anytime. The decree of the king of Nineveh, that saved the people from an imminent disaster, is the kind of preparation that the Gospel wants us to make. The king decreed, “…let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence which is in his hands.”