Wound-er & Wound-ed

‘And when you stand in prayer, forgive whatever you have against anybody, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your failings too.'

Mark 11:25


Building a relationship is never easy, maintaining it is even harder, and yet losing it is perhaps the easiest. In all forms of relationships, the main prerequisite that must exist is trust and forgiveness. Trust comes from a generous heart and forgiveness comes with a bruised ego.

Why a bruised ego? Think about it; can we accept forgiveness? Because when we accept forgiveness, it is to accept the fact that we are dependent on the other party to seek forgiveness from our part. This is contrary to what most of us might perceive then; that we are wrong and thus entitled to forgive when approach. When we forgive, a little part of us dies as well, just as that part of the person seeking forgiveness dies as well.

Is this notion wrong? Think about it then. What might possibly prevent us from seeking forgiveness and reconciliation? Pride. What might cause the unjust man to turn his back to God? Pride. What causes a just man to turn away from God? Pride. We simply trust too much of ourselves rather than relying on the graces that God Himself is ever-ready to grant us.

It is not easy to forgive at times and even harder still to accept the fact that we are in need of forgiveness. During this season of Lent, let us pray for the grace to accept that pride exists within each of us, and yet to temper this pride with humility and docility, and to recognize that besides being the wound-er, we are also the wound-ed in need of forgiveness and healing.

“Lord Jesus, help us to recognize our limitations and give us the grace not to limit you with our limitations, but instead grant us the grace to fall freely and out of control into your Father’s Divine Love, and help us to heal others and let others heal us too. Give us the Spirit of humility and docility for indeed, ‘the truth will set us free!’ Amen.”

Vespers Reflection - Psalter Week 1 - Tuesday - First Week of Lent

Sometime I am asked the question, "Jo, do you trust God?", and almost immediately and unreservedly I would answer, "Of course I do!" Yet today whilst reflecting on Psalms 19 and 20 which speaks of the king's trust in God, I come to realize that inasmuch as that trust in God is seemingly a given, the real question that begs to be asked is, "When do I start trusting God?" or in another word, bluntly put, is, "When do i start letting go and allow God to take control?"

The kings of old in Psalms 19 and 20 placed their trust and certitude in God, and we too are invited to trust in God, and yes, sometimes we fear where this trust is leading us to, because it seems almost unknown and deep down somewhere in our hearts, we still want to be in control.

Sometimes I know where God is leading me to, but most of the time I do not know where this trust is leading me to, but I trust that God's love will lead me to where He wills and wants me to be.

Lauds Reflection - Psalter Week 1 - Tuesday - First Week of Lent

We are faced with words everyday. I can see it in my little black book on which I wrote this reflection, the words on our Divine Office which we will pray soon, and later we will face even more words when we have our lectures.

In Pslam 32, we are reminded of the type of words that God brings... "The word of the Lord is faithful", "By his word the heavens were made", "He spoke and it came to be, he commanded and it sprang into being". In short, God's words are powerful, and more importantly, it is life-giving.

We too are sharers of His word, and bearers of words. Let us consider how we have used words on one another. Does our words edify our fellow brothers or does our words destroy our brothers and one another? Let us pray and strive to be sharers and bearers of life-giving words to everyone whom we encounter.