I ASKED AND I RECEIVED

Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find…
Please allow me to share with you a personal experience. I am an asthmatic person. It all started when I was still Grade 5; and that was one of the most difficult and trying moments I and my family experienced. You know what, even at the early age of 12, I already questioned God, “Why am I suffering?” I already begged God, “Lord, I could not bear this pain anymore. I don’t want to stay again in the hospital for 2 months. Sakit na kaayo, dili ko ka-ginhawa. I could not bear seeing Mama and Papa cry and suffer because of me. Lord, please remove this pain away from me right now, immediately!” Well, 14 years had past, 2010 na, but I still have the Asthma (hubak) though not that bad anymore. So, maybe, at first glance, you will probably say, “Jun, it seems that God did not give you what you asked for. What kind of God is He?!” But the question is, “What keeps me smiling now in spite of my sickness? What keeps me going on in life without blaming Him anymore?” Because, gradually, through prayer, through silence, slowly I realized that God ACTUALLY answered my prayer; He actually gave me what I really asked from Him. Only that I wasn’t able to realize that because I always kept on blaming and questioning Him; when in fact He was actually there present with me. I realized that God wanted to touch me, gusto niya mohaplas sa akong likod ug tuba-tuba, mosuksok sa towel sa akong likod, mo-embrace. And in order for God to do that, he used the hands of the people who became so instrumental to my recovery. God was present diay through my Mama, God used her hands to comfort me, “Don’t worry Anak, nia ra ko, ako ang tubag sa imong gipangayo..” Kay without God, through my Mama, I would never survive. Igo na kana nga maka-smile ko bisan taliwala niining mga sakit (That would be enough for me to smile now even in the midst of my sickness). It’s the Holy Spirit who makes me smile and who empowers me right now. Ug diha nako na na-klaro sa akong kanunay nga paggahin ug kahilom diha sa pag-ampo: Nga diay, God answers in so many ways; and my experience with my Mama was just one.
Each of us here really wants that our petitions to God be answered immediately, right now. “Lord, maka-daug unta ko sa lotto o swertres. Makakwarta unta ko. Dili unta magutman akong pamilya. Makapasar unta ko sa test. Madawat unta ko sa trabaho. Mamaayo unta akong bana o asawa o ginikanan o anak o igsuon sa iyang gibati nga sakit.” Sometimes we just couldn’t wait; we become impatient. Mao nay makapasaba sa atong panghunahuna ug mahimo na dayong mabaw (shallow) ang atong panglantaw sa kamanggihatagon sa Ginoo. Because, then, when we feel that way, we easily blame and question God, “Ingon ka Lord ‘ask and you shall receive’? Pero, nganong wala man lagi?”
If only we spend time for SILENCE my dear brothers and sisters; then madunggan nato unsa ang buot niyang isulti kabahin sa atong gipangayo. That is why we are here because we are called today in this Mass to listen to Him; because God really wants to tell us something today. He wants to tell us today that he cannot afford not to listen to His children who persistently call to Him for help. Our 1st reading tells us that even if there will only be 10 good people in a very sinful place Sodom, he will forgive the nation. Imagine! Dili siya ka-ako ug punish sa sinful nation because of the 10! Now, in our Gospel today, the man in the story gives bread to his friend not so much because of their friendship but because of His persistence (pagpamugos). Dili siya ka-agwanta ug pa-bungol-bungol. Mangita gyud siya ug paagi. Ug diha gikinahanglan ang KAHILOM, instead of blaming God, “Ngano? Ngano?...” Kay diha sa kahilom atong mahibaw-an nga gitagaan na diay ta sa Espiritu Santo, maong nia pa ta nagpadayon dinhi karon. And how does He answer us? In so many ways! My experience with Mama was just one. Maybe the answer of your prayer, without you conscious about it, is just beside you, or at your home: Your family, imong pamilya or friend nga wala mohunong pag-atiman nimo. Sila diay ang instrumento sa presenya sa Dios. Sila diay ang atong gipangayo; dili nga mamaayo dayon ta sa problema, kundili nga unta dili ta mag-inusara sa atong problema.

(Story of Smoke Signals to God)

In our Gospel today, the Father assures us, “Never will I give you a snake when you ask for a fish. I am just beside you, whatever happens, in sickness and health.” Let us ask from our hearts. When we pray the Amahan Namo, let us pray from our hearts. And may we always remember this assurance from our Tatay in heaven, “Anak, you asked and I give you my very presence now, so you have nothing to worry about ha. Wala na kay angay kabalak-an…”