WAY BACK HOME

As I child, I used to visit my relatives to a neighboring barrio with my family. I had such a great time playing with my cousins whom I seldom see. We ran and played in our grandparents’ garden, and spent long hours day dreaming. The food was overflowing since my aunts and lola would serve dishes prepared using the family’s secret recipes. The hamonado and biko (rice cake) were one of the best. But as they say, “There is an end to everything, to good things as well.” In the evening, my mother would be looking for me as we would be going home. I do not desire to go home just yet and wanted to spend longer hours with my cousins and playmates. I would hide from her at the back of the door of my lola’s house, praying my mother would not find me. I hid well from her, so much so that it took a couple of minutes before she found me. When she found me, she would tell me it’s time to go home. “But I don’t like to go home yet.” I retorted. She would reply “If you don’t go home, I would leave you here.” The thought of not having a mother at his side was unimaginable for a child. In fear of missing my mother, I immediately grabbed her hands and bade my playmates goodbye. Then, we were on our way home.  

God wants us to be home in heaven and to be at home in his presence. However, through sins and other things which we have preoccupied ourselves with, we have moved away from him. We hide from him in our desire to continue the things we thought are the best already in the world: a flourishing career, a comfortable life directed by our own wills and plans.

The Lord knows what is best for us; what is better than the best we can ever conceive for ourselves. Thus, God searches for us. He makes the initiative for us to find our way back to him, away from sinfulness that prevents us from having the best, the real goodness, in life. What could be better than being with God who created us and knows all the longing of our hearts! Thus, we seek His mercy and forgiveness for the transgression we have committed against Him.

The mercy of God is readily available for us. After all, he is our God who is rich in mercy and who has a heart for our miseries and pains. He desires the best for us. God is simply waiting for us to return to him and admit in ourselves our sinfulness. For us to avail His mercy, it necessary for us to admit the truth about ourselves. Nothing can be given unless we admit that it is needed. The truth is a prerequisite for mercy. We must do our part so that God may find us and give us the mercy we so desire, and that our relationship with God, broken by sin, may be restored. We must admit the truth of our faults so that mercy may be conferred upon us; that we ourselves may beg for it.

The good news is, God is waiting for us. Our merciful Father is waiting for us, to embrace us, as he brings us back home.