Travel Light

One of my favorite travel accessories is the inflatable travel pillow. It helps me get a good shut-eye. It supports my neck in the awkward positions of seat-sleeping. I have been to many long trips that end up with a neck sore. So, this pillow is really a good investment on my part.

I recall a passage from Luke about instructions for the missionaries to be sent off. 

Luke 9:3  He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.

Now during those times, there was even no travel pillow to speak of! More shockingly, even the basic and logical travel necessities were not allowed on this mission. The missionaries had to depend on "living off the land" and trusting in God's providence through those who will welcome them. 

On this, I reflect 3 things:

1. Travel light, God provides

Life is a one big mission journey. When we carry a lot of baggages, we won't be able to fulfill what we were meant to do. Our tendency is to focus more on our attachments instead of God's supplements. When we are still attached to the baggages of anger, unforgiveness, materialism, fear, and many others -- we cannot move forward in life. 

The Lord provides, provided that we leave room for His blessings, leaving the unecessary weight of sin. The lighter we travel, the heavier the blessings.

2. Offer your discomforts to God

Along our life's journey, there will always be "bumpy roads" and "uncomfortable seats".  Instead of complaining, let us make an offering of sacrifice for the Lord. Our pains can be lifted us prayers for the salvation of souls in purgatory. 

3. Mission is total surrender

When all that you possess in this world is gone, yet you have God -- you are rich! Just like the man who finally found the pearl of great price and sold all he possessed to acquire it. In Luke, when the missionaries were sent off, they knew that they had everything -- God. If we embark on a mission and fail to "bring" God, then we have brought nothing. We surrender our lives to God, so that God can finally lead us to the awesome life that He prepared.

In our pilgrim life on earth, let us start to detach from worldly pleasures and attach ourselves to the heavenly delights of a life of mission.

Gratitude for 2012, Hope for 2013

There is just so much to thank God for.  I think that we should be able set aside signficant amount of time just to express our gratitude to our Lord. An attitude of gratitude, is something we can develop.

What we can do for the end of the year is to just randomly list down things that God granted upon us for 2012.  His providence may suprise and astound us.

I'd like to share three things as my reflection on His blessings and our posture of thanksgiving.

1. God's blessings will always surpass our failings.

       When we fail, we tend to highlight that particular experience and wallow in regret. But truly, failures are opportunities for us to become better or even become the best in our field. When we look back at our year, let us take time to squeeze out major lessons, specially from our failings.  With humility and in God's wisdom, these so called failures will later transform into deeply rooted values that will contribute to our success.
        If we look around and notice the details of our lives, even for just this year, there is enormous blessings.  Let not our regrets overwhelm us, instead let hope prevail and let His Spirit urge us to press on. Let us thank God for showing us the lessons of our failures.

2. God is faithful and He wants us to be fruitful.

      Often our unfaithfulness hinder God from fully blessing us. Yet, like the prodigal Son, who went back to his father, a feast still awaits.  God is ready to bless us, we just have to embrace His love and accept the kind of life He offers. Let us thank the Father for loving us despite our unfaithfulness.

3. A humble heart will always have room for God's providence. 

     When our hearts are full of pride, is there room for God to bless?  Let us empty our hearts from pride, unforgiveness, doubts, and other negativities. Let us make room for Him and surely  true joy will reside in us. Let us thank God for continuously knocking at the door of our hearts and patiently waiting for us to invite Him in.

4. We ask for the grace to praise and thank Him amidst gloom

For many of us, 2012 was a tough year.  Thousands lost family and friends due to a calamity, a people divided because of social and moral issues, heart wrenching news of kids murdered in Connecticut, personal undertakings that didn't go our way, and many more. Yet, amidst all these things, God is love.  In His mystery, He has a plan for us and for mankind.  This was Job's reaction when everything was taken from him

Job’s Reaction.
Then Job arose and tore his cloak and cut off his hair. He fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, “Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I go back there.* The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!” In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with wrong. (Job 1:20-22).

Let us thank God even if it is difficult to do so.

We look forward to the New Year with hope! Let us commit to do better for 2013, with much gratitude in our hearts and with full trust in the hope of God's plan.