This must have been one of the favorite words of Jesus. He always makes the first move to draw everyone to himself. “I will come and heal him,” He says with great compassion to the Centurion. “Come down, Zacchaeus, for today I must come to your house,” He said to the man who climbed up a tree just to see Him. “Come to me all you who are burdened,” He says with love and deep caring to all those struggling through life. And to those seeking direction in their lives, He invites them with a loving “Come, follow me.”
Our coming home to the Philippines has been full of comings and goings. We have been visiting many who have come into our lives and renewing the bonds that have made us come together. Yesterday, we celebrated the 40th Sacerdotal Anniversary of Fr. Ety and Msgr. Rico. We came together with other classmates to celebrate and give thanks for 40 years of dedicated service to God and His people. Between the two of them, they have touched more lives and in more ways than they will ever realize. In the evening, we joined the Ateneo community for ‘Carols and Lesson”, an Advent recollection. It was a coming home of sorts for us, for the Ateneo has been a real home for our family. Anabelle and I have spent years teaching in the Ateneo and all our three sons have come to the Ateneo for their early formation. We met friends and families who have come into our lives, serving the same Lord and seeking the same graces from Him.
At the end of the day, we were happy to come home to our house in Filinvest, where we have always loved to see our friends and family come for a visit and stay for some celebration or another. It was from this house that both Ima and Mama finally went when it was time for them to finally come home to eternity. And when it is my time, it is from this home I will make my final journey. And I hope my friends and family would come for one final visit with me.
In this time of Advent, of waiting and hoping, I make these words my prayer:
Come, Lord Jesus, come!
Come and heal me of my distress.
Come and heal our land.
Come and calm the tempests in my soul.
Come and soothe your hurting people.
Come and complete my joy.
Come and let not the hopes of your people be confounded.
Come and touch my life.
Come and transform our lives.
Come into my life and bring me your peace.
Come into my heart and fill it with your love.
Come, Lord Jesus, come.
When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress.” And he said to him, “I will come and cure him.”
Matthew 8:5-11