A Lenten journey of love

We always complain that we do not have enough time. As soon as we step out of the house everything is rushing: cars, trucks, the street, the whole community. We are all rushing not to waste time, to rush after time, to catch up with time, to gain time.

“Goodbye mam, excuse me, I haven’t time. I’ll come back . . . I can’t wait. I must end this letter – I haven’t time. I’d love to help you but I haven’t time. . .I can’t read, I can’t think. I am too busy. I haven’t time. . . I’d like to pray, but I haven’t time.

You understand Lord, many simply haven’t time. The child’s playing, he hasn’t time right now. The schoolboy has his homework to do, he hasn’t time . . The young man is at his sports, he hasn’t time. The young married man has his new house; he has to fix it up. He hasn’t time . . . . The grandparents have their grandchildren. They haven’t time . . . Later on. . . They are ill, they have their treatments, they haven’t time . . . Later on . . .

They are dying, they have no . . . Too late!. . .They have no more time!

Lord, I have time

“Prieres” or Prayers written by best-selling author Michel Quoist said ”If we knew how to listen to God, if we knew how to look around us, our whole life would become prayer. - - -“

And so all men run after time, Lord.

They pass through life running – hurried, jostled, overburdened,

frantic, and they never get there. They haven’t time.

In spite of all their efforts they’re still short of time, of a great deal of time.

LORD, YOU MUST HAVE MADE A MISTAKE IN YOUR CALCULATIONS.

There is a big mistake somewhere.

The hours are too short,

The days are too short,

Our lives are too short..

You who are beyond time, Lord, you smile to see us fighting it,

And you know what you are doing.

YOU MAKE NO MISTAKES IN YOUR DISTRIBUTION OF TIME TO MEN.

You give each one time to do what you want him to do.

But we must not lose time,

 waste time,

kill time,

For time is a gift that you give us,

But a perishable gift,

A gift that does not keep.

LORD, I HAVE TIME, I have plenty of time. All the time that you give me, the years of my life, the days of my years, the hours of my days, they are all mine. Mine to fill, quietly, calmly, but to fill completely, up to the brim, - - - I am not asking you today, Lord, for time to do this and then that, BUT YOUR GRACE TO DO CONSCIENTIOUSLY, IN THE TIME THAT YOU GIVE ME, WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO.

The Colegialas’ race to sainthood

In the ’50s or ’60s Sr. Ehrentrudis, Sr. Odiliana or Mother Redempta were among the hundred nuns from Germany, France or Belgium, who taught us colegialas (female Catholic college-breed students) from kindergarten to college all over the Philippines.

Between gentleness and sternness, they would herd us off from classroom to chapel for regular school masses and annual retreats, and encouraged us to visit the Blessed Sacrament everyday during break time.

In St. Scholastica’s, the Benedictine Order of nuns emphasized liturgical music and church ceremonies, instilling in me a love for the Gregorian Chant and Bach in their lovely mahogany lined chapel in Vito Cruz.

Sample students’ sacrifices

At this time of Lent, we would be exhorted to make sacrifices to strengthen our character. That meant refraining from going to the movies of talking goodies like ice cream lechon and other fiesta fare. In addition to days of fasting and abstinence, parties were taboo. We were also exhorted to go more often to week day masses in addition to the Sunday service, say more rosaries and do the Stations of the Cross.

Among my classmates, seven became madre superioras (mother superiors) in different orders. Even Teresita Imperial and I tried to enter the Benedictine Order. College Dean Sr. Ligouri doubted if I really have a religious vocation since I was a partygoer and loved dancing very much. “Let’s see Preciosa if you will not change your mind after a year perhaps. . .”

That year I met Max Soliven, my husband-to-be.

A dear classmate Jill Mananzan who became Sr. Mary John OSB even became then a controversial radical nun right after her doctorate in Germany. Being a self-proclaimed Marxist, she would lead several activist rallies. However, in the past decades she has toned down as a Gabriela and is busy getting donation to build a hospital in Samar.

That seems a long time ago.

Spiritual practices underwent a complete revolution among Catholic students.

Ateneo, Maryknoll (now Miriam) or Holy Spirit students in my neighborhood in San Juan didn’t know how to pray the rosary when I would help supervise rosary blocks for almost 20 years. That has been happening since the 80s.

On Sundays, they no longer kneel and bow in reverence during the Consecration of the sacred host, but casually stand up in their shorts or very informal clothes.

Certainly with Vatican II, the conservative Catholic Church began to observe ecumenism, breaking out from its tight circle of the faithful. Instead of considering itself the “chosen people,” the Catholics were encouraged to mix with others who followed different faiths.

Lent was an unwholesome season for me as a Benedictine child. The suffocating heat of summer and the demanding final exams were all mixed up with a series of church functions.

It took me another 10 years of re-educating myself, travelling and living in other countries in Europe, America and Asia to realize that being religious does not necessarily mean one is spiritual.

Our pilgrim journey during lent

We are a pilgrim people, and while Lent is a good time to look back on where we have been, more importantly, we look ahead toward where we are going. The Journey of Love may be an aid. It was originated several years ago by the pastor of the First Christian Church in Oklahoma City. For each of the six weeks of Lent, there are specific aspects of daily loving.

First Week: The Hand of Love. Write a letter a day to a friend near or far away and tell him or her how much you appreciate their friendship.

Second Week: The Voice of Love. Phone two or three people just to say what they mean to you or say “Thank you” or “I’m Sorry.” Call people you’ve intended to phone but somehow never have. Remember love and gossip doesn’t go together.

Third Week: The Deed of Love. Take something you have made or bought to two or three friends who mean much to you, but for whom you rarely express your love – a pie, a plant, a birdhouse, a small remembrance that has your love as a wrapping.

Fourth Week: The Heart of Love. Make a list of 10 people for whom you will pray daily. Include your friends and your enemies. Forgive them if they have wronged you, and ask forgiveness if you have wronged them.

Fifth Week: The Mind of Love. Use this week to pray for yourself and look inward. Read the gospel of John. Plan during the week to do a little extra meditating and praying in a quiet place such as church.

Sixth Week: The Victory of Love. This is the celebration. God’s love for us is revealed in many ways. Get out of doors and breathe in the air of spring. Have a picnic in the park or have your friends in for dinner or a party. Let your joy be full with life abundant in faith, hope and love.

The basic ingredients of loving

This little plan for Lent could well find us at Easter a “new creation.” And some, if not all, our faults could well turn to ashes and dust as we are reminded on Ash Wednesday. Their ash becomes a sign of victory through forgiveness. It is a journey of love, which may entail some pain and difficulty but aren’t these basic ingredients of loving?

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