25th Anniversary of Religious Profession of Sr. Ma. Sherlita B. Solmiron, TDM (Part 2 of 3)

September 14, 2020

Tulo ka bahin, sa unang pagbasa, Old Testament reading, ang mga Israelitas sa disyerto nakasinati pud sila murag COVID-19. Giatake sila’g mga serpent, mapaakan patay gyud, naglibog na sila, nag-gubot na sila. Ang main nga mensahe nagbagulbol sila, nagmahay sila. And then the Lord spoke to Moises, si Moises ningsumbong pud sa Ginoo nga nagbagulbol na mga tawo. Nagbagulbol sila, yes tungod sa pagpa-ak sa bitin but grabe ang ilang pagbagulbol because their memory was empty. So the Lord directed Moises to make a sign, that sign of a pole with a bronze serpent. That event I think is so itch in the alimpatakan, in the mind, the collective mind of Israel. So much so that event has been remembered up to the time of Jesus, it is in the Gospel today. Talagsaon! But because of that event they remember an important event that the Lord has been good to them, bag-o pa silang giluwas sa Ehipto. Big miracle, giluwas sila sa Ehipto, nakalimot sila, kulang, nagbagulbol sila.

So sama sa unang pagbasa Sister, in the past do not forget proven na, 25 years na, you yourself can tell unsa ning plural man ni Sister “do not forget the works of the Lord.” In order to give thanks to the Lord for the past 25 years, forget yourself but remember the good works of the Lord. Let’s forget ourselves but it has been sige ni’g balik-balik sa mga retreat it is the Lord who is always faithful to us even if we are not faithful to Him. Sr. Maria Sherlita do not forget the works of the Lord.

Second reading Sister sulat ni San Pablo ngadto sa mga taga-Piliphos, it is the famous text of St. Paul, akong gipaminaw ang Cebuano murag kulang ang force sa Cebuano because giunsa pag-translate but sa iningles ang word is emptied. He emptied Himself atong gamiton ang English I think humok gamay sa Cebuano. Remember giunsa ni Kristo ang Iyang krus, triumph? Unsa ng triumph? The force, the power of the cross, unsay beauty niana, unsay mystery niana? Because the Son of God, God Himself, the only Son of God, the creator of the universe, the source of life, he emptied Himself of that honor and became a slave for us. Wow, unsay mensahe niini Sister? Sayon-sayon ra, ang pagkapari, ang pagka-religious, emptying gyud na kanunay. Ug ako giwali na kaniadto, living the faith only knows one mathematical operation pirmeng minus. Lisod tan-awon walay addition, walay multiplication, wa gihapo’y i-divide, always subtraction, emptying.

Busa past 25 years always to forget ourselves. But the second reading would tell us it is in that emptying that the joy beyond measure and you know that Sister – 25 years. Kanang kalipay nga lisod pag-describe alang sa uban. Kalipay mopuli, kalipay mao na triumph of the cross. Kanang daygon pagpasidungog sa krus because behind the truth is that when we carry our own cross, emptying and we will find the joy of Jesus. Remember the good works of the Lord. Remember also that Jesus the only operation for you and for us to remember is emptying.