When trials become personally palpable

In this Lenten season depicting once again the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ for mankind's redemption from sins, one had a very bad, realistic, and traumatic dream…

One dreamed of going under the knife for a defective organ that had suddenly seized him in utter excruciating pain. Somehow, he survived the operation but, during the stage of recuperation, he got waylaid and bushwhacked, and stabbed at the back by three supposedly trustworthy and loyal kin, conniving to do him harm.

As dreams sometimes play up, the treachery also flashed the scene as done by obviously tame dogs, one of the three being a bitch which seemed more cunning and scheming, as if orchestrating the two other male dogs. Another Morpheus' trick depicted that the three bushwhackers were giant hyenas and, in another scene, by white and gray wolves.

As one lay wounded and being attended to by two kindly shepherds who had helped deflect and prevent further damage, another shepherd appeared who refused to lend a helping hand. Despite the entreaties of the two to the extent of crying a river, the third still stood apathetic on the ground that he didn't want to take sides and, more for holding peace with the perfidious culprits.

And the dream ended with the victim and the two crying shepherds still in tears…

Indeed, even dreams have a way of driving home the truth. Before, while one had already understood and mentally aware of the treachery suffered by Jesus Christ in the hands of a trustworthy disciple, one has to confess that the inner pain or the hurt felt by our Savior and Redeemer seemed to be spiritually surreal. Without meaning to be blasphemous, the hurt then seemed to be superficial, or just symbolic of the religious rituals, and less personal and palpable, as if going through a fictional cycle of biblical drama tragedy. Supernatural and surreal…

But with such harrowing experience in a realistic dream, one has awakened to the true sufferings of Jesus Christ on account of treachery. And so, as one recalls the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on His third promise to console them in all their pains and trials, it is with sincere faith:

O most kind Jesus when Thou didst hang upon the Cross, and filled with anguish as Thou wert, it did not suffice them to put Thee to so cruel a death, but with scorn and reproaches they tried to defame Thy life and teaching and most Holy conversation. O sweet Love, these were the attendants at Thy deathbed! One serving Thee a drought of gall, another with a lance-thrust, another with blasphemies. These stood around and wagged their heads at Thee, and mocked Thee!…"

Trials in life offer the most precious and often unforgettable lessons. And painful usually, and especially sad if they happen at the price of relationships between or among loved ones. One hasn't forgotten though, but with sad regrets, the wisdom of one's old man over a silly quarrel between once young siblings, thus: "Hinumdomi bisan wa na unya ko sa kalibutan, nga may panahon nga kamo magkaaway sa ubang tawo, apan nungka nga kamong managsoon magkaaway".

Lent also brings recollection of childhood trials... One had a doleful and poignant experience over one lousy mango fruit. For a father's unrelenting principle of honesty, though unfairly applied as skewed, one had a lashing for being an innocent sacrificial lamb to save his other siblings. Such sad incident had traumatic effect in his youth and somehow soured his attitude to a father but, somehow, God in His infinite wisdom later healed everything as one shed a bushel in total reconciliation on the old man's passing away.

As life's trials still come even this late, it is with greater understanding and wisdom that going through them personally, and with the hurting pain more palpable and soul-rending, the more one has wider perspective on a personal basis how Jesus Christ undergoes His sacrifice and martyrdom this Lenten season once again.

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