We are just passing through

Today's Word

 

Word Alive

We are just passing through

By FR. BEL R. SAN LUIS, SVD

September 25, 2011, 8:00am

 

CAIRO, Egypt — As our pilgrimage to the Holy Land organized by Broadway Travel Agency is about to end with a stopover in Cairo, I am reminded of a tourist from the United States visiting the famous Polish rabbi (Jewish teacher) Hofetz Chaim.
He was astonished to see that the rabbi’s home was only a simple room filled with books. The only furniture was a table and a bench.

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Rabbi, where are your furniture?” asked the tourist. “Where are yours?” replied Hofetz. “Mine? But I’m only a visitor here. I’m only passing through,” said the American. “So am I,” said the rabbi.
Indeed, we’re mere pilgrims in this world. We’re only passing through and our final home is in heaven. For many in the group, this was a  personal realization during the 10-day journey of faith.

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 As one pilgrim said: “I could feel Jesus’ palpable presence during our tour.“ In the song “Day by Day” from the movie “Godspell,” the pilgrimage was a very meaningful opportunity “to know Him more clearly, follow Him more closely, and love Him more dearly. Day by day.”
At the end of the religious sojourn, I kept asking myself why Jesus’ countrymen, the Jews, could not accept Him as the Messiah.

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In fact, even thousands of years after His death, He whom they rejected is still helping them – through millions of tourists and pilgrims every year from all over the world, pouring in huge revenues for their country. Are these millions foolish to spend hard-earned money and make the sacrifice of believing in an “impostor”?

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In a previous pilgrimage to the Holy Land, a group and I were inside the highly revered shrine of the tomb of King David. In the course of the tour, I asked the lady guide how the present-day Jews regarded Jesus Christ. Losing her serene composure, her face contorted, turned red, and she raised her voice: “We don’t believe in him. He was an impostor. He has divided our country.”

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“Me and my big mouth.” I didn’t realize how highly sensitive the lady was. Much embarrassed, I slowly slipped out of King David’s tomb... afraid that another one might be buried in there!

Anyway, for the hard-line kababayan of our Lord and people who until now do not believe in Him and His teachings, let me paraphrase the words of the Catholic writer John LaFarge: “For those who believe in Jesus, no explanation is needed; for those who do not believe in Him, no explanation is possible.”

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THE LIGHTER SIDE. Two kids were boasting about their fathers. Jun said: “My father is the best engineer in the world. He dug the Pacific Ocean!”
Dan thought for an answer; then replied: “That’s nothing. Do you know the Dead Sea?” “Yes,” Jun said. Dan replied: “My father killed it!”

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If one day in front of the mirror, you start to see white hairs on your head, wrinkles on your forehead, eyebags and sags on your cheeks, be happy and thankful because it means that God gave you a PERFECT VISION!