Pero kahit siguro iharap sa atin ang mga bagong realidad hindi natin ito napapansin dahil siguro hindi tayo nagbibigay ng bagong tugon. Siguro nananatili nalang tayo sa mga nakasanayan na kaya tayo naghahangad ng bago. But in fact the new is being offered. Tapos malulungkot tayo at sasabihing "hay, Eto na nanaman kwento ng buhay, paulit-ulit lang." but actually it is a new story but how come it is received as something old as nothing has changed in us?
Siguro iyon ang talagang ating hinihiling, ang biyaya ng bagong pagtingin sa mga bagong realidad na ibinigiay sa atin.
Maging sa ating bansa hiling din natin ang pagbabago lalo na sa mga pangayayari ng mga nakalipas na panahon. Pero paano nga ba ang pagbabagong ito? Who is the agent of newness?
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth... And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God...
And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”" Rev. 21:1, 2, 5
Ang bagong langit at bagong lupa, ang bagong Jerusalem, ay bumababa mula sa Diyos. Ang pagbabago ay hindi manggagaling sa barangay captain, hindi manggagaling kay Mayor, Governor at kanino pang pulitiko tulad ng sinasabi nila sa kanilang kampanya. Ang pagbabago ay magmumula lamang sa Diyos. At sa bagong Jesusalem wala nang pagluha, sakit at kamatayan. Sa paglalarawan pa lang ng bagong bayang ito kitang-kita na ito ay magmumula lamang sa Diyos. Bilang tao, hindi natin kayang gumawa ng ganoong klasing bayan. Tanging Diyos lamang. Kaya ang pagbabagong ito ay darating sa atin bilang isang biyaya.
At may tinig na nagsalita, “Behold, I make all things new.” Parang sinasabi ng Diyos, ako ang magbabago sa lahat ng bagay, hindi kayo. Mas maiintindihan siguro natin ito kung babalik tayo sa 1st chapter ng ebenghelyo ni san Juan.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being... -John 1:1-3
Ang lahat ng sangnilikha ay mula sa Diyos at walang umiral na hindi nagmula sa kanya. Pero dahil sa kasalanan ang napakagandang likha niya ay nabahiran ng paghihirap at sakit. At sino ang may kakayanang ayusin yan? Tanging Siya lamang na gumawa ng lahat. The creator is also the re-creator. Ang lumikha ang siya ring magbabago ng lahat ng bagay. We reduce life to nothing, we reduce goodness to nothing, we reduce truth to nothing, we reduce justice to nothing; Who can recreate everything? Only the creator, God.
We need God not only for the primordial act of creation but we need God for that continuing creation that will make all things new.
Kahit naman sa ating simpleng karanasan, Halimbawa, nasira electrical wiring sa bahay, ang una nating iisiping tawagin ay yung electrician na naginstall ng mga yon. Siya ang naglagay, siya ang nakakaalam, siya ang unang tatawagin.
Many times our longing for new beginnings/newness of life are frustrated. Why? Because we do not allow God to renew things. The sad thing is, while we call for renewal we set aside God and we take over: our agenda, our plans, our projects. We embrace the divine task of creating and recreating as though we were the creator. And look at what happens, instead of renewing things, things have become worst. Who knows creation better than God? Who knows history better than God? Sino ang makakapagkumpuni nyan? Siya, Siya ang gumawa eh. Eh tayo ang alam natin manira dahil makasalanan tayo, tapos magpapanggap tayo, "aayusin ko yan." Hello? Paano mo maayos yan eh ikaw nga hindi ayos? Paano mo maayos yan kung ikaw ang alam mo, manira. Sino ang makakapag-ayos? Only God.
Let us look at the past issues in our country, for example the RH law. Sinasabi ng iba ito ay hindi usapin ng Diyos. That is the mindset now, no wonder many things do not change. We are not anymore comfortable with God. As though the entry of God into the world of politics and media is something disgusting. If that is the attitude no renewal will happen.
Now, the church is working for the New Evangelization. I hope all of us will first listen to the voice of God and to be honest to ourselves that we cannot renew the church. Only God has the power to renew the church. We just have to listen and see where God is leading us. The moment we compete with God, it will guarantee, this new evangelization will fail.
God would not allow his beautiful creation just to be destroyed. God will recreate humanity, God will recreate the church thru Jesus. But how Jesus brings newness to creation? Thru his obedience to the Father.
As a faithful, our response must be humility and obedience. To disregard our plans if it is not compatible with the will of God. Let us harmonize our will to the will of God. Like Jesus, we must say, "Not mine, but Your will be done."
