The last week since Palm Sunday, I’ve blogged about our Lenten journey. I enjoyed watching the Lenten programs on TV and attending mass at the nearby churches.
Today is the culmination of it all, it’s the day of Jesus’ Resurrection. Jesus paid a ransom to save us. He redeemed us from our own worthlessness. I think of life and the pains it makes us endure. We are resilient amidst problems, we are strong amidst failures. No one is worthless in His eyes.
The past years were full of seemingly insurmountable happenings but the belief and faith that all will be well in the end are at the forefront of my prayers. Prayers bring me joy when I feel so down. Prayers bring me hope when I feel hopeless. Prayer is a silent conversation with God. There are times when I can’t sleep at night and I pray the rosary. It is a shield from those negative thoughts that arise once in a while. It calms me and I get sleepy clutching the rosary beads in my hands.
Since I was given a second chance at life, I’ve become more grateful with even the smallest blessing. Even a smile from strangers is a blessing too. I always love that part of the mass when we greet each other with the words “Peace be with you.” I remember one time I was besides this girl in one of the masses I attended. She shyly smiled at me when she said “Peace be with you.” She might not know the significance of the greeting but it was a touching gesture from a child.
Do you believe in chance encounters? Many, many years ago, a nun friend suggested this book to me called Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield. It was one of those books that I bought with closed eyes because it was very expensive. There were quotes there that I wrote in my small notebook.
“It says that whenever people cross our paths, there is always a message for us. Chance encounters do not exist. But how we respond to these encounters determines whether we’re able to receive the message. If we have a conversation with someone who crosses our path and we do not see a message pertaining to our current questions, it does not mean there was no message. It only means we missed it for some reason.”
So even that smile and the simple meeting of the eyes have meanings. Life in all its broken dreams is still beautiful.