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 THE
CALL
- By Sansu Garin
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“My sons! My
daughters! Where are you? Come, my children. Come back to Me.”
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So goes God’s call
to each one of us. Everyday. In all the times we are separated from Him
because we have not loved, and thus, have fallen into sin. God, in His
goodness, does not wish us to be forever astray, wandering about lost… He
beckons us to go back to Him, to turn from our sinful
 ways
and renew our lives. Sometimes or probably often for some of us, we remain
impervious to His voice. But His call cannot be denied; it is plainly
heard, especially during the Lenten Season.
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The longing of God
for us can be compared to that of a child looking for a father or a
mother. I remember the song of the orphans at the Yayasan Sinar Pelangi (YSP)*,
a charitable foundation which we visited last month. “Tidak ada ayah,
tidak ada bunda… Ayah! Ibu! Datanglah…” (I have no father, no mother…
Oh! Father. Oh! Mother. Come! Come! Please come…”)
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The same anguished
yearning; similar hope or even more. We can all identify with this, being
ourselves, fathers, mothers or children, one way or the other. But God’s
call to us, His children, is also full of mercy, rich in compassion and
abounding in love. Only our God, the God of Love, can look not on our
sins and be willing to have us back.
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How do we then
respond to this call? Jesus said, “I assure you, that unless you change
and become like little children, you can not enter the
Kingdom of Heaven
(Matthew 18:3).” Become like little children... And how is it to be like
a child again? Let us think about and consider:
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The simplicity of a
child. To respond to God’s call, let’s get over our hang-ups; discard our
spiritual baggage; clear the corruptive influences we built in our lives.
Easier said than done! But only when we do away with the complexities in
our lives do we become more like what we originally were – simply in Gods’
image and likeness.
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The humility of a
child. When pride takes hold of our hearts, we become oblivious to
others. We only see ourselves. “I am the best! I am the most beautiful!
I am the richest!” Probably not in these exact words, but in similar
ways of expressing, that we are the masters of our lives. But only in
humbly acknowledging our nothingness can God truly fill us. Making us
truly better, more beautiful…richer...
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The obedience of a
child. Ever wonder why we would normally ask the younger ones to do this
or do that? Isn’t it because, almost always, they would obey! In 1 Peter
1:14-15, it says, “Like obedient children, do not return to your former
life given over to ignorance and passions. Imitate the One who called
you. As He is holy so you, too, be holy in all your conduct.”
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The faith of a
child. Unworthy as we are, God’s love for us is truly genuine. In fact,
unconditional. No logic can ever fathom the mercy and love of God for
us. When we can accept this in our hearts, then we see that there is hope
for us…
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Finally, let us not
forget that God gave us His Only Begotten Son. “Yes, God so loved the
world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him may not be
lost but may have eternal life” (John
3:16). We are
already saved! We only have to accept and believe…
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It’s time then.
It’s time to look for the child in us. It’s time to heed God’s call.
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All Glory to God!
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* For more information on Yayasan Sinar Pelangi, you can contact them at
Tel. No. 8482279 or visit them at Jl. Kemangsari II No. 39 RT 001/07
Jatikramat Pondok Gede, Bekasi.
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TELL US LIKE IT IS!
- Has something
wonderful and unique happened in your life lately? Did God answer your
prayer in a very unexpected way? Did you, like Isaiah, meet God’s
whisper?
- Have you felt
His powerful hand working in your life recently?
- Everyday,
people are experiencing God’s mighty Word in their lives and it is a
pity that very few know about it. Do you have a story to tell? Some Good
News to share?
- E-mail us (genesis@catholic.org)
or fax us (021-6627384), and tell us about it. That’s right! You don’t
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tell us like it is!
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to write the subject: “Let Me Tell You A Story”
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Community - All Rights Reserved 2003
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IN THIS ISSUE:
HIS Servant
by Bro. Pete Lapid
The Father Speaks
By Fr. S. Binzler, SJ
Our Faith
By Fr. KJ Veeger, MSC
Place of Refuge
By Philip Yuson
Reflection
By Fr. Agustinus Tupen Belo, PR
Community Life
By Tintin Magbitang
Straight from the Heart
By Carolle Bautist
God Answers Prayers
By Beth Manibog
On Focus
By Sansu Garin
Saint for the Month
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