Choose Life

March 6, 2025 – Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030625.cfm)

We make choices in life. We choose what clothes to wear. We choose what food to eat and those that would satisfy our cravings. We choose the people whom we want to be with and those that can give us comfort. We choose what would entertain us and bring us surge of happiness. And we choose important matters in life and make decisions to which direction we should be taking.

The choices that we make would somehow shape the way we live our life. The choices we have made would also tell us how we relate with people and take care of our relationships. Spiritually, the choices we make mold our relationship with God. They shape the way we express our faith in concrete ways.

As we have just began our 40-day Lenten Journey, the Book of Deuteronomy reminds us to always “choose life.” Moses reminded the people of God to choose the Lord. This is to be expressed in three ways – in loving the Lord, in walking in God’s ways, and in keeping God’s commandments. By choosing the Lord, we choose blessing and choose life.

This is the promise of the fullness of life. Yet, we will not attain this when we are apart from the Lord. We cannot achieve it when we are away from God’s grace.

This is the invitation of Jesus for his disciples, that is, to choose him who is life himself. Yet, making such decision does not mean all success and triumph, comfort and power. In choosing the Lord and in following him, self-denial and giving of oneself become our way of life.

This is no joke because we become a contradiction to what the world wants us to be. What others want for us is self-promotion and self-preservation yet, the Lord wants us to carry our cross daily and follow him.

But Jesus has promised us, in giving ourselves for his sake and of the Gospel, then we gain the fullness of life. No matter how difficult and challenging this may be, we ask for the grace of perseverance and joy in the midst of trials and tribulations, so that we will always choose life and choose the Lord.

May this Season of Lent strengthen our faith and transform our heart in the likeness of Christ. Hinaut pa.