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Thy will be done
For weeks, I kept hearing my boyfriend’s three-year-old son say, “Alitigan,” or something that sounded like it. I figured he must have picked that new word in one of the TV shows that he was watching. But last week while at the grocery store, while we were singing the Our Father, he said that word again and again everytime we arrive at the portion of “Thy will be done.” When he spends the weekend with us, the first song he listens and dances to is Our Father (there’s an upbeat version) in the CD and he always asks for it. Finally it’s clear already as to what his “alitigan” meant.
Since then, every time that the three of us sing and reach the phrase “Thy will be done”, we just smile every time he says “alitigan”.
He asked what it meant and I explained to him it tells us that even though we have so many things that we pray for and some of them are answered and others are not, it is always God’s will that wins. I added that because of this, our prayers should always include strength and the wisdom for us to know that if things happen, they happen for a good purpose.
“I think that’s the reason why even if you pray for an ice cream cake every weekend night, you still don’t get one often? Remember that we only get to eat an ice cream cake here once a month or so? We can feed you cake always if that’s what you want but too much of it is not good for you. But we give you chocolates as an alternative. You see, chocolates are made from plants thus they have a healthy dose of antioxidants. They protect your heart. Or Papa makes you ice candy with lots of healthy coconut or mango in it instead of giving you ice cream,” I explained further. “That’s what I meant about us asking for something but it’s not given to us. Something is given to you; not what you want, but something that you really need, something better.” And he just smiled.
“Thy will be done” reminds me of the time when we were children. Because we depended so much on our parents when we were little, we followed all the decisions that they made for us. Although we may ask some questions or we complained, have you noticed that in the end, it’s their will that wins? Normally, for a child, it’s that feeling of blind submission and surrender especially when they know that what’s expected of them stems from the adults’ concern for them and not for any other selfish motive.
It’s like that with us being children of God. If you’ve noticed, when you want something and it don’t turn out the way you want it, you feel bad, your blood pressure shots up and you end up doing or saying silly things. Compare it to the feeling when you just say, “It’s all up to You,” and truly mean it. Notice that you feel calmer?
The “alitigan” encounter led me to a reflection on the things that I want yet are not given to me. During bad days, I sulk and get angry like a kid yet say “Fine! Whatever!” in surrender. On days that I have time to reflect, I see the purpose behind it all and I smile with thanks and say, “Okay, I know, I know. Thy will be done.”
To end, here’s St. Theresa’s Prayer: May today there be peace within you. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle in your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and everyone of us.
(E-mail: katvillalon@yahoo.com. Blog: www.kathyvillalon.blogspot.com)