EMBRACING EASTER

 

Happy Easter everyone!

It is a little bit late, but His message is just on time.

How’s your Lenten seaso

n this year? How was your encounter with Him? Is it an intimate one?

Did you enjoy? Or it just an ordinary season for you?

Let me share with you some of the experiences that I had. Last February, during my quiet time with Him, I just realized that he seems so quiet and I didn’t able to hear His message. I didn’t notice it because of preoccupied of so many things like duties and family matters. But few days after, while I was staring on my notebook, I can’t able to hear His message and process His words. But I continued writing and praying at the same time, even how hard it is. Yung feeling mo na wala kang kausap. I continued to read His message every day.

 

Three weeks after, we had our household, and I just realized of how the Lord wanted me to do. He just wanted me to REST into His loving arms and let Him do the RECOVERY stage of mine. I realized that from the time He seemed so quiet, it was the time of the start of 40 days, Lenten Season. Then, I reflected of what the Lord did during those 40 days on the desert, which was pray, pray, and pray. It was indeed affirming that He just wanted me to journey on what He did 2000 years ago. It is indeed an awesome journey.

 

Affirmation sets after days, when I was able to attend a Lenten recollection from other sector of the community. Sr. Cielo explained the importance of remembering the Lenten season every year. As she emphasized that it is the time of the year that we are asked to REST and to slow down. The season unites us each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert. Attending that recollection affirmed me this message, “when we are having difficulty to pray, we are invited to pray even more”. Those messages from the recollection nailed it, and I became excited even more for the upcoming Holy week.

 

I am excited to attend on the retreat organized by the FEAST. However, upon checking my schedule I realized that I had a full load schedule. But because of the desire to attend on the retreat, He made a wonderful transition.

 

Holy Tuesday, prior my night duty, I had my ECLIA test as a preparation for my second dose of vaccine (SINOVAC). Holy Wednesday, I got my second dose of the vaccine. Maunday Thursday, I started to watch on the holy week retreat. It was indeed an awesome talk, in which I didn’t noticed that tears coming out. It was indeed and powerful talk. The speaker reminded that LOVE is the willingness to offer one’s life for one’s beloved. As I read on this message, I just realized of how we (frontliners) offered our lives for the sake of everyone who got infected of the virus. He knew that I was vulnerable that time, and His comforting message will turn my fears into joy.

 

Then, hour prior my duty, my colleagues send me a picture of ECLIA result. In my surprised, the result is apparently a COVID suspect because of a reactive result from the antibody and non- reactive to IGG. I continued our conversation and in my confident maybe it could be an effect of the vaccine. I sought an advice to our Infectious Control Nurse to what the possible action that they will make. She asked me to have an immediate RT PCR test that night. I proceeded on my duty, but our department suggested to send me home and wait for the result before coming back to duty. Our head nurse coordinated with our ICN if that would be possible (It was the hyped of the surged that time, and protocols has been changed from time to time to prevent infection within the working environment). Then they decided to send me home, and proceed to my RT PCR instead.

 

Waiting game has been started that night. Troubled thoughts sink in. But instead to be worried and wait for the result to came in, I watched for the Feast Holy week Retreat. The Lord made a way of different redirection so that I may enjoyed my holy week. As I looked for my schedule prior Holy week, it is indeed a week of full loads. My worries turn into gladness, as I am looking forward for the retreat and to finish it. On the day 2 Holy week retreat, I was reminded that I AM NOT ALONE. He is always there and present and He is always following us. These are affirmations of the Lord. Whatever the result would be, I am blessed because I am still okay.

 

After the session, I arranged and prepared my things that I will bring if the result turn to be positive. I was looking forward for the succeeding days to come because of the session. I am at peace. On Black Saturday, I was supposed to go to work. I alarmed as early as 5 am and checked if results came in and waiting for the signal that I may have my duty that morning. However, no text that time. And then, I tried to go back to sleep, and around 730 am, my colleague messaged me that I need to go back to work, and it was acknowledged by my ICN because I have a negative result. Wohooo!! It is indeed an early Easter gift for me.

 

Easter Sunday reminded me that God made a wonderful promised and made us to believe His resurrection. That we may experienced different struggles, darkness, lost, fear and anxiety, but He reminded us that He already conquered it. He may not as fearful as we are, he may not as anxious as we are but he experienced pain, doubts, and struggles just to fulfill His mission. The easter retreat reminded me that I should not be afraid because HE is FAITFUL, HE is PRESENT, and HE TRUST me.

 

Let us always embrace our Easter moments in life. Good Friday and Black Saturday are not always present, there is a promised land, there is a RESURRECTION!