THROUGH UNTRUE
Fr. Rolando V. dela Rosa, O.P.
Today we begin the season of Advent, commonly understood as a period of waiting and preparation for Christmas. But the Latin word adventus does not mean waiting for someone or something. It refers more to the actual arrival of what we expect or hope for.
In a very real sense, Advent does not mean looking forward to Christmas. It means being certain that God has definitively revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, and He continues to manifest His loving presence in unexpected ways. Advent, then, must be filled, not with anticipation, but with a sense of certainty.
I asked a parishioner if he looks forward to Advent in that way. He replied somewhat ruefully: “Seguro.” In the original Spanish, this word connotes certitude and conviction. But in Filipino, "seguro" means "maybe." Worse, it can mean "whatever!" for those who look at the future with indifference and hopelessness because of the depressing situation they find themselves in.
This is why the Church reminds us that Advent is a season of hope. Hope focuses our attention not on the future, but on God who is Lord of the future. Advent is the time not to look forward in fear, but to look up to God who is in control of everything.
A dear friend, Lourdes Syquia Bautista, whom I fondly call Ma'am Nena, will turn 98 three days from now. She is a woman whose life is forever Advent — not spent in waiting or anticipation but in joyous celebration of the manifold ways by which God has been present in her life.
I think the secret to her longevity is that she does not worry much about the future. Her strong faith in God makes her live in the present. There is wisdom in living that way. It generates in us a heightened urgency to use our time wisely. It also allows us to view time, not as a measure of our lifespan, but as a series of moments that we can fill with experiences worth remembering.
Ma'am Nena does not like to postpone for tomorrow any opportunity to do good. She knows that what fills us with utmost regret are not the things we did, but the things we leave undone. So, in her heyday, aside from being a mother and wife, she was a writer, campus minister, catechist, Cursillo leader, a sought-after speaker, youth advocate, marriage counselor, and an excellent teacher for many years at the University of Santo Tomas. She would go to great lengths and bridge great distances to be present to people who needed her most.
Her presence does not just mean visibility. It means availability. She once wrote: "I love my family, and I always find ways to tell them so. When my children were growing up, I would play with them, kiss them, and hug them. I believe children have to be hugged seven times a day so they won't feel insecure when they reach adulthood. Children are not spoiled by too much hugging. What spoils them is too much money."
Ma’am Nena is the matriarch of a huge family (12 children, 27 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren). When asked how she raised her children, she replied: “On my knees.” More than dedication and hard work, Ma'am Nena credits her success as a wife and mother to her dedication to prayer. Prayer has allowed her to accomplish tasks which seemed impossible to some. She believes that prayer is not something we do for God. Rather, prayer is allowing God to do great things for us.
Advanced happy birthday Ma'am Nena! To many of us whom you have touched with your life, Advent is not "seguro" but "segurado."