H.A.L.E.

 

Lenten Reflection #14

H – Higher

A – Appreciation

L – Lower

E – Expectation

Compassion and forgiveness. These are two among several things that I’m asking God to help me with especially this Lent. This morning, at mass, the priest gave the HALE formula to enable us to be more sympathetic to the plight of others and have greater patience with their mistakes.

Do you have a makulit aged parent who acts like a child now? HALE. Remember when you were young and the roles were reversed.

Do you have a child who keeps failing in Math? HALE. He might be brilliant in languages or the arts.

Do you have a husband who keeps forgetting important dates? HALE. He likes spending time with you and the kids rather than with his friends.

Do you have a wife who can’t cook if her life depended on it? HALE. She gives the best massages.

Do you have a barkada who forget to call you for group outings? HALE. They do listen to you talk for hours about your problems.

You know who else needed to have HALE? The apostles in The Chosen’s “Matthew 4:24” episode (my self-assigned Jesus story for the day). In the episode, the apostles were discussing what it’s like to follow the Messiah, what their expectations were. They were having difficulties because it didn’t look like what they expected.

Then Mary Magdalene said, “I guess I haven’t had any expectations. It’s probably why it’s easier for me.”

So, appreciate more, expect less. It will make following Jesus easier.

References:      Mass Homily – Fr. Jose Elmer Ilao

                       The Chosen Season 2 Episode 3 – “Matthew 4:24”

                       The Chosen Season 2 Episode 3 Bible Roundtable