Who could've imagined...

Who could've imagined that suffering the lot of a thief and dying the scandalous death on the cross was a way to life and victory. The disciples thought it was defeat. They thought it was failure. They thought it was over, so they ran away. They hid themselves.

But somehow Mary knew better. Maybe not clearly. Maybe not totally. But she knew that there was something more. So, she stayed. She stood at the foot of the cross.

And she was right. What we could not have imagined happened: there was new life on the cross, there was victory in suffering.

God's ways are different. He will always be mystery.

Malas o Suwerte?

"Hangga't hindi nahuhulog sa lupa ang butil ng trigo at mamatay, mananatili itong nag-iisa. Ngunit kung ito'y mamatay, mamumunga ito nang sagana."

Merong isang magsasaka na may isang anak at isang alagang kabayo. Isang araw, nakawala ang kabayo at nawala. Sabi ng kapitbahay, "Ang malas naman!" Sagot ng magsasaka, "Malas nga ba?"

Kinabukasan bumalik ang kabayo na may kasamang lima pang kabayo. Sabi ng kapitbahay, "Ang suwerte naman!" Sagot ng magsasaka, "Suwerte nga ba?"

Agad-agad sinakyan ng anak ang isang bagong kabayo. Sa kasamaang palad, nahulog ang anak at nabalian ng binti. Sabi ng kapitbahay, "Ang malas naman!" Sagot ng magsasaka, "Malas nga ba?"

Makalipas ang ilang araw, dumating ang mga sundalo. Naghahanap ng mga puedeng kunin para sa digmaan. Dahil nabalian ang anak ng magsasaka, hindi siya nakuhang sumabak sa digmaan.

Malas? Suwerte? Ano nga ba?

Kung babalikan natin ang mga karanasan nating itinuturing na kamalasan, makikita nating kahit masalimuot may biyaya namang idinudulot, kahit hirap ang dala may mabuti namang bunga. (Kuwento't aral na isina-Pilipino mula sa aklat ni Margaret Silf, The Other Side of Chaos)