Walk With Me

Break Free

Let me share to you my story which happened three years ago. I and my family went to a restaurant then the food then was sumptuous and we had a great time together. Because of the good vibes we had, we never knew the time that it was so late. So after the dinner, we hurriedly rode the public vehicle going to the terminal of the jeepneys.

A little while when we came, it was already the last trip of the jeep going to our place. Luckily, I and my family were able to sit inside the vehicle. Then a few minutes later, the mob who is also hurrying went inside and because there were many, it was so tight inside. I really hated that uncomfortable feeling. Further, it made me rage when the conductor of the jeepney put a long chair inside just to accommodate the people more.

After this instance, I said to my dad “Di, lagota ani uy! Diba bawal man nang magsakay pa ug puno na? Diba overloading na man ni? (Dad, I really hate this! Isn’t it prohibited to accommodate people if it’s already overloaded? Isn’t it this vehicle that we’re riding right now is overloaded?) Here’s the catch: My dad told me, “Nak, sayon ra kaayo iistorya kay wala man gud ka sa ilahang situation. Kabalo ba ka unsa ka lisod magkonduktor? Kabalo ka nak, naningkamot pud na sila para sa ilang pamilya. (Son, it’s easy to say because you’re not in the situation. Do you know how hard it is to be a conductor? You know what son; they are also striving hard for their family.)” Now I realize how much I’ve become so prideful. So, now I’m trying to work on that.

In today’s gospel, we are challenged by the thanksgiving of Jesus Christ, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children…” Perhaps, what our Lord pertains here is that the wise are the people who has become so prideful of themselves. Thus, in one way or another we share this pride. Indeed, we have something that we hold and so we need to let it go for the grace of God to work on us.

I, the same as you are, am still working on how to break this pride. But all I say here is that if we don’t claim and live that we are already sons and daughters of God, then we’ll never receive the wisdom, love and consolation that conscious or unconsciously we long for.