Gratitude in all seasons
Second Part

While we do sometimes take for granted the fact that we live on the beautiful Silliman University campus and in the growing, roaring little Dumaguete City, it is those who come as tourists and visitors who seem to appreciate our habitat more than we do, whether it be the sea, the boulevard, the mountains, the view of our Church (the favorite of photo enthusiasts), and whether it be the friendliness and gentleness of our people in general. Remember the poem of Robert Browning?

Earth's with heaven, and every common bush afire with God;

But only he who sees, takes off his shoes.

Only with grateful eyes with which to see the splendor and joy of our common life will make us "remove our shoes" in adoration and lift our hearts to praise the Lord.

A sentimental note from the hymn "My God I thank Thee" that, I believe, reminds us of our experiences is where it says: "That in the darkest of earth, some love is found." The story of the cross itself yields some illustrations of the phenomenon. When Jesus stumbled and fell under the weight of the cross, a total stranger, Simon of Cyrene, took up the cross for Jesus and carried it to Calvary. In Jesus' agony on the cross, a kind soul, probably a Roman soldier, soaked a sponge in vinegar and extended it to Jesus' lips to deaden the pain. As the crowd kept taunting Jesus, one of the crucified thieves, shouted in defense of our Lord. "This man Jesus is innocent," he said. And there are true-to-life examples today, in our own lives.

My own family has a testimony to share with you. Our older son, Karl, who works for the United Nations Development Program in Papua New Guinea, was in the darkest moment of his life some months ago. He was driving home from his office one evening when, out of the blue, without his knowing it, a large vehicle jumped from the opposite lane and hit his car. Karl's car was a total wreck. Karl wounded, bleeding profusely, unconscious, all alone, lay in the driver's seat.

Then, also out of the blue, three native Papuans (one of them named Luke) picked up the bleeding Karl and brought him to the nearest hospital. When Karl recovered his consciousness after four hours, he realized that in the darkest moment of his life, there was love, the love of other human beings saved his life. The hymn is right: In the darkest spot of earth some love is found. And may it be your experience as you "pass through the valley of the shadow." TO BE CONTINUED*

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