WHEN WORDS ARE NO LONGER ENOUGH

A Reflection

While being soaked in the rain standing in the midst of the young people at the UST field, my attention was caught when I heard the words, “Why do children suffer so much? Why do children suffer?” Immediately, those words became my own, “Why do I suffer? Why did my family suffer last year? Why did you allow the most important person in my life to vanish so fast like a thief in the night?” Until now though time has created the distance, I still cannot find a convincing answer with the “why” of my mother’s death.

Pope Francis in his message to the youth has given me not a straightforward and convincing answer but something which assures me of God’s eternal working in my life. “When they posed this question to us, why this tragedy occurs in life—our response must be either silence or a word that is born from our tears. Be courageous do not be afraid to cry.” Silence and crying. The Pope did not give me a logical, rational explanation of what happened in my life. He simply gave me two words that have become insignificant in our world today: silence and crying.

Reflecting on the encounter with the Pope, I remembered that my best moment in the seminary happened not during my graduation day but those thirty precious days of holy retreat. It was during those moments when my silence led me to crying. And I realized that such silence and crying were not done for nothing. They have a purpose. Through silence and crying, I encountered the Lord. I experienced his mercy and compassion despite my sinfulness and unworthiness. I tasted the goodness of God in my life. This is my only certainty—that Jesus amidst pain and suffering continues to encounter me like what he did to the weeping widow at Nain or to the crying Martha and Mary at Bethany.

Until today, I still receive calls from either my sister or my father asking me questions and seeking explanations on what happened to our family. Sometimes, they simply called me that I may listen to the flowing of their tears. At first, I tried to comfort them by giving consoling words on God’s will and healing. However, from that encounter with the Pope, I was reminded that sometimes the best answer is to be silent and allow the tears to flow from the eyes, for time will come when Jesus will see in our eyes our weeping and out of his mercy and compassion, we will be raised back to life, to life in abundance.

While being soaked in the rain standing in the midst of the young people at the UST field, I was moved to tears when I saw the Pope answering the question of the little girl not through words but through his assuring embrace. I never got the chance to even touch the “tassel” of the Holy Father during his visit. However, through his presence, I remembered that in the trying moments in life, silence and crying are the best answers when words are no longer enough. Amen!

NB. Photo taken from http://www.archangelsanddevas.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/word.jpg