SIDELINE
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” – Acts 9:4
I
was once hard-line with my convictions. I subscribed to an ideology
that placed me “left of center” in the political spectrum and I reveled
in my belief that I was serving my country by being “radical,” by
joining farmers and the marginalized in protest marches against the
oppressive administration, and supporting the ousting of foreign
military bases in the country. I may not have persecuted Christians but I
turned away from Jesus and made an ideology my way of life.
I
try to place myself in Paul’s shoes at that very moment when Jesus asked
him the life-changing question in the above verse. “Dina, Dina, why
have you forgotten Me? Why did you choose an ideology over Me?” I could
only bow my head in shame and cry tears of remorse. While change for the
good was what I had intended to help bring about, there’s no excuse for
purposely pushing Jesus to the sideline.
I
look back to my “old life” and feel no regret but only thankfulness to
Christ who called me by name. He healed me of my “blind” belief and
taught me the divine ideology: only faith in Him will bring about real
change and lead us to eternal life. Dina Pecaña (dpecana@yahoo.com)
Reflection: The
Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in.
The world would take people out of the slums. Christ would take the
slums out of people, and then they would take themselves out of the
slums. (Ezra Taft Benson)
Forgive me, Jesus, for the times I chose lesser things over You.
Blessed Luchesio and Buonadonna, pray for us.
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