Aug 9
Some notes (not literal) from the general Get-Together with Msgr. Ocariz in Surabaya, 6-VIII-23
Today is the feast of the transfiguration, a scene in which our Lord showed his divinity to the apostles Peter, James and John. In doing so, he revealed his divinity and his own humanity before his passion, suffering and death. Besides being an announcement, it is a call and an invitation for us to partake in this mystery, and to understand that sacrifice and glory go together.
Just like our Lord Jesus Christ who died a painful death on the cross for our sake, we must react similarly when presented with difficulties, even if it means suffering a bit in our work or in our family circumstances. Sometimes we may be sad, but we can certainly take strength by looking at the cross. On it, we find glory, although we may not fully understand it completely. In life there will be sorrows and joys, but we should see that God truly loves us.
One of the great truths of our Christian faith is that our Lord fully experienced abandonment when he suffered on the cross. He even asked His Father, ‘Why did you abandon me?’ Nonetheless, he showed us that it is possible even in suffering to find happiness. Thus, we should avoid exaggerating suffering, and accept that it usually appears in our work, family and personal circumstances from time to time. We can always give thanks to God.
If we reflect upon scriptures, we see that God’s supernatural presence can sometimes induce fear, as in the case of the apostles. But he is always there to assuage our fears. For example, he told the apostles when they were caught in a storm out at sea, ‘It is I, do not be afraid.’ Similarly, when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he also said ‘Do not be afraid, for you have found favor with the Lord.’ This narrative of being fearless with God’s help continues to appear many times in the gospel passages and other parts of the bible.
As long as we have faith in the Lord, we should not fear. If God is with us, why should we fear? Fear is a sign of doubt, a sign of mistrust. Faith on the other hand gives us strength and security.
We need to ask for more faith in the apostolate. At times, our faith seems to be dimmed, we hardly can see, and this is when we need to ask our Lord to increase our faith. Our Lord wants us to be as happy as Him. May your joy be complete! Happiness allows us to be more attentive to those around us, and to transmit the joy of the gospel to them. This is how we can be fruitful, by sharing the joy of our vocation, and grow in personal sanctity at the same time.
Our Lady of Indonesia
Listen to the podcast: