LENTEN REFLECTION: Life and Identity

Today's Readings:

First Reading: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95   Responsorial Psalm: Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56  Gospel: John 8:31-42

Reflection:

Sharing the same shore line as Buenos Aires - its more prestigious neighboring city – but still divided by the mighty Uruguay river, Montevideo seems a low key city at a glance. Being the capital city of Uruguay, it has maintained a seemingly low profile through the years, even as it has been rated as the city having the highest quality of life in South America. But something remarkable has recently mushroomed in the heart of Montevideo. For at the heart of the city’s concrete jungles lies Liceo Jubilar, a school which has given a unique education of hope to many of the city’s marginalized kids mired by poverty; a school which has given life and identity to a great number of impoverished children.

Life and Identity. These seem to be the central message of today’s readings. In the first reading, we find God changing the name of Abram to Abraham, giving him a new identity. Abraham being the father of faith, the Jews are aghast when Jesus declares Himself as, “I Am” even before Abraham. This is a growing insight, a tension even, as Jesus gradually realizes that not only does He seem to possess life-giving powers, He seems to be even life’s source, that He is life itself. And with courage born probably out of both conviction and trepidation, He asserts this before His countrymen. And when He declares Himself as “I Am”, He then sets the course of His journey – our journey - of life beyond death, of love beyond pain, of hope beyond darkness. But in exposing people’s deepest pains and darkest wounds, He also earns their anger and hatred.

But perhaps taking a cue from the teachers and children of Liceo Jubilar, we can transform this anger and hatred into something more meaningful. Perhaps we can learn to hope and love, once we discover that immanent “I am” within us… among us… not dissimilar to the “Je sui” experience which transpired in Paris after the tragic bombings, and which brought about courage despite fear; healing despite unspeakable pain. For when we struggle with the journey of darkness and sin within us, when we experience evil and suffering in our midst, we may be tempted to question faith and teeter towards despair. But when we realize that our deepest identities have been marked by a signet of eternity forged at the dawn of time, we may yet discover love and hope, having discovered life and identity.

The 17th of March 2013 marked the first time Pope Francis said Sunday mass (after he was elected pope) for the parish of St. Anne in the Vatican. He spoke of and preached about the profound mercy of God.  But spontaneously after the mass, he introduced a priest who came from a country far away. Pope Francis was quite delighted and pleasantly surprised to discover Fr. Gonzalo Aemilius among the congregation. It turned out that Pope Francis was very much familiar with the work of this compassionate priest from Uruguay. For it was Fr. Gonzalo himself who founded Liceo Jubilar. And as these two men greeted each other, perhaps people caught a glimpse of how life and identity converged at that moment, a chance meeting of two men, shaped by two cities, but very much united in their life and identity as priests of God’s infinite mercy and compassion.

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Fr Patrick Dominador Z. Falguera, SJ is the director of the Formation Unit of the Ateneo School of Government.