“Lord, when will this end?” During the height of the pandemic, this was my daily question to God. I begged and prayed for him to end the pandemic as soon as possible. As one of the service frontliners then, tasked with combating the spread of the dreaded Corona virus, my concerns grew with each passing day. On the internet, news of fellow nurses getting sick and even dying due to COVID-19 were always in the headlines. Our place suddenly became like a ghost town; the once busy highways became empty roads. Everything in my life seemed to be bleak, and hardships became endless. In the midst of my predicament, I tried to search for answers.

In the Gospel, Jesus continuously reminds us to fully trust in Him despite life’s anxieties. Our feelings of emptiness should lead us to a deeper prayer life. There will always be wisdom lying beneath every pain that we experience. As I pondered on my experiences facing this health crisis, I became aware of its hidden blessings. One of these would be the importance of healthcare providers. It was indeed an eye-opener for everyone to see how these unsung heroes worked for the safety of people all over the world. As a priest-in-process now, I am invited to live as fully as I can in the presence of Jesus. I should seek Him, find Him, and respond to Him in every single person and in every single experience of my daily life. Temptations might lead me down the wrong path and turn me away from the path that God has paved for me. Therefore, I should always pray and talk to God. I should always ask for His gracious assistance in resisting the temptations that threaten my relationship with Him and the life He has planned for me.By

By Sem. Peter John D. Arao

Today’s Gospel

Luke 21: 34-36

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”