Christ, Our Hope of Glory

Indeed, Christ is our hope of glory. It is the same glory when we have joy behind sorrow, hope behind failures, strength behind flaws, smile behind tears, faith behind uncertainties, love behind hates and honor behind shame. These are all but things we always dream to feel and experience in our life. We all wanted things to go our way because this is what we believe would make us happy. But real happiness is not found in the things we do, not even limited to our human perspective. It is found only if we hope in Christ, the source of genuine happiness.

As a Spinola educator, the 51st International Congress in Cebu City had taught me many things.  I’m pretty sure that with God’s grace, I can share it to my families and the rest. I came to realize that in order for me to bring Christ to my family, students and community, I must have Him first. Another is that, Jesus in the Eucharist makes Himself always present to us; therefore I must make myself available for Him in my way of attending the Mass and in engaging myself into deep prayer and contemplation so as to make Him the center of my life. I must speak about him, confess my sins to Him and come to Him in every way.

Making Jesus a part of my life is a call, especially in my being, a Spinola Educator. This is a call that I need to pursue and persevere so students could see me as a model that even in little ways, they could learn that the world they are in today is all temporary and that only their relationship with Jesus is eternal. This is only possible if I show or teach them in words and deeds the way to live as real Christians using my own gifts and realities. Yes, I am broken, so wounded, yet Christ surely fills it and makes me worth it.

I always tell my students that whatever they do is a reflection of what is in their hearts. So if Jesus is in their hearts, they would also see, act and love like Him.

Believing that nothing is impossible in Christ, I know that one day, these dreams I have will become a reality. No matter how hopeless is the world today, I have hope in Christ that He will fill the hearts of all people with His grace and love so they can make a difference, stand for truths, risk for others’ good, conquer their fears without sacrificing their learned values, and deliver anything that is asked of them in a more Christian way.

The challenge left in me now after the Congress is how to live a life where I can be with others, be it my students, family and communities, for Christ lived and died for all not for Himself. I am on a continuous process of responding the call of bringing Him to others, a hope to them especially to those whom I constantly encounter. As long as I have Christ in me, there is always a hope that this dream of mine will become possible.