26 February, Sunday — A Greater Gift

1^st Sunday of Lent

Gen 2:7-9,3:1-7
Rm 5:12-19
Mt 4:1-11

…but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall.

One activity during training or teambuilding makes use of a white sheet of paper and the facilitator asking people to draw one dot. Immediately, everyone’s attention is on that one dot and it seems as if they have forgotten, or that they fail to notice, that the dot occupies just one tiny area. Today’s reading reminded me of this activity. Whatever bad thing that we see happening in our world, God has given us a lot more graces to overcome and tide through these events.

As a catechist, one of the questions the youths ask most of the time is why evil exists. They usually challenge the presence, or the goodness, of God when they see so much evil around us. It’s so difficult to explain because at times, I’m really at a loss for words.

That is why I feel that today’s readings are really comforting. If I look back at the history of the world (world wars, internal conflicts), and the current events filled with crimes, and also wars, it’s so easy to be disheartened and scared. It’s evil beyond our imagination. Still, the grace and goodness of God go beyond that. So even if I can’t imagine the end of evil, I am assured that God’s grace and goodness go much farther than that. This elicits so much awe in my heart.

I find it much more touching when I bring it down to a personal level. Many times, I’ve been frustrated with myself for always sinning, for falling short of being good, for being an accessory to evil. Today, I’m reminded that I’m always enveloped in God’s love and goodness. With this knowledge, some of us might take it for granted that God always forgives. If this is the case, perhaps we can ask God to give us the grace to be grateful, and for that gratitude to feed our love for God. And with a growing love for God, may we more strongly resist sin.

One of the greatest things I’ve learned is that when a priest mixes wine and water, he pours just a tiny amount of water into wine. When we attend Mass, let us pay more closely to what the priest does during the liturgy of the Eucharist. And when he pours water into wine, may we be reminded of the overflowing, outweighing gift of God love. 

(Today’s OXYGEN by Stephanie Villa)

Prayer: Dear God, please help me be always aware of your overflowing love, of your love in so much abundance.   

Thanksgiving: Thank you, Lord, for loving me so much.