2022.11.15 Messages from Sr.MarJo

(Deuteronomy 30:19)

¹⁹ This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.

 

It has been some time since we last had an assembly. Meanwhile, another term is about to end and a new one, the last term for this year, is about to begin.

Last week, we lost a sister in the Philippines so unexpectedly after just a little over a month of not being well. She was particularly close to me and honestly until now I still have not fully understood what happened. But one thing has become clearer and more certain for me. THIS LIFE IS SHORT, and we never know when it will be over. We can be well today and suddenly unwell tomorrow. So, the invitation is to take this life seriously and to live the present moment as best as we can. Today is really all that we have and all that we are sure of.

 

Today’s reading from the Bible is God’s invitation for us to CHOOSE LIFE. God says we have a choice. Yes, we have a choice, and the choice is ours. We can choose to live this moment, this day well – or choose not to.
And the choices can be major and big ones – or they can also be ordinary, everyday choices like being honest, being kind, listening in class and doing the right thing, forgiving someone who has hurt you, reaching out to others in need, not wasting things nor food, protecting the environment by not wasting energy… the list can go on and on.

 

2 days ago, we saw the news that Russian Troops have pulled out of Kherson, Ukraine. It was moving to see the Ukrainians in tears of joy saying “we are free – we will not lost time to rebuild and renew…LIFE is a gift…freedom is a gif…” The Ukrainians are expressing their decision to CHOOSE LIFE. They may have lost everything – no electricity, destroyed homes, no infrastructure — but they are alive and free and they choose to make the most of what they have – and not lament about what they have lost or do not have. They are determined to choose life and put this choice into action.

 

Today, this week and in the coming days – make a decision to CHOOSE LIFE… do not waste any moment… LIFE IS A GIFT and it is meant to be LIVED.
CHOOSE LIFE TODAY and every day that you still have…
“don’t wait for tomorrow, do all that you can today; so that if tomorrow never comes, you will have no regrets.”