Who can we turn to?

THE STORY is told about a very sick wife who requested her husband to call a veterinarian. "Why a veterinarian, not a doctor?" the husband asked. "That's because I work like a horse, I eat like a dog and I live with a pig," was the wife's reply.

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In today's Gospel (Mt. 14, 22-33) Jesus teaches us to turn to prayer as He himself did whenever He was under pressure by the crowd. Prayer, solitude and silence can help us find our bearings and strength, especially when we are already "low bat" and in need of recharging. More so, we need to turn to God in prayer when we are tossed about by waves that threaten our very lives. It is precisely at such times that we need to turn to God in prayer. Who do you turn to, what do you turn to when problems overwhelm you?

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When you walk through a storm, where do you seek refuge? Some stay put, and some fly away (literally, to another country!). Flight does not solve the problem. One may seek refuge in drugs, alcohol and other worldly pleasures, but the problem is just postponed and may even be compounded. One can take flight from the noise and the burdens of this world, but he cannot lessen the raging turmoil within. One can gather a thousand lieutenants, advisers, PR handlers to fix the problem, but they can only do so much. At the end of the day, the only road one must take is the road that leads to God's heart, and the way to walk it is through one's knees, alone.

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So much noise, debates and media blitz around us these days. If only we listen to God in prayer, there will not be so many liars in our midst. But because of the waves buffeting us, we have, like Peter, taken off our eyes from the Lord, from the truth; instead, we have focused on cover-ups, maneuverings, manipulations, half-truths and even blatant lies. Given this situation, we all will sink. May the Holy Spirit enlighten us; and, if this is not possible, banish the liars and manipulators from our midst. Our boat is sinking, and we are overloaded with noisy cheaters and liars. Time to throw them out into the sea, don't you think so?

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"Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." How consoling to hear these words of Jesus, especially these days when there's so much turmoil in our midst. It is a consoling thought to know that God is at the controls and that truth will prevail, although one is disheartened at times that the liars and the cheats seem to be getting the upper hand, and appear to be getting away with their evil designs. I believe in truth, and I believe in the triumph of truth and goodness. But it is not enough to believe. We all must work for the truth. Trust that God is on the side of truth. Believe in the truth. Work for the truth.

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When I find myself sinking in work and pressures during the day, I also often find myself reaching out to God by looking up and saying, "Boy, oh Boy!" "Boy" for me is "Because Of You." Try it, sing it. When you get so engrossed in your daily work and concerns, look up and say, "Because of you, Lord." Then you realize that the reason for all that you are doing is He, and you get to see the big picture again. Suddenly, feelings of self-importance and overly concerns disappear, and one is lifted up again from the clutches of personal agenda, time-tables, and what-have-you's. "Because Of You." Yes, sing it. Pray it. It works!

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As the song goes, "I remember the boy, but I don't remember the feelings anymore." It is not enough to remember the "boy" (Because of you). One must also remember the "feeling." It is good to be reminded why we are doing what we are doing, but, we must recapture the original feelings when we first started out. Through time though, we may not forget who we are and what we started out to do; we can lose "that loving feeling" because we have become so pragmatic, practical and, yes, normal. Where do we get in touch with the "original" in us? Not in talking or debating, not in the malls, not in the streets, not in our war rooms, but in the silence of our hearts, in humble prayer.

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My prayer is that as we go through life, as we go through this national crisis we are facing now, we all will fix our eyes on Jesus, and not on the waves threatening to overwhelm us. We also must stretch forth our hands unto Him so that He can save us. Above all, we must not lose courage; we must not be afraid. And yes, we must believe and keep on believing that the wind will die down.

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Raul Roco has gone home to the Father. Mission accomplished. He could have been the president of our land. Would things have been different? Only God can tell. Let his passing away be a reminder for all that life is short, that we carry nothing with us when we go, and that we must continue pursuing and doing our mission. What matters in the end is that we loved, we loved at all. Dios mabalos Noy!

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, when we are buffeted by waves and we start to sink, help us to turn to you in prayer, penance and good deeds. Amen.