EXPOSE AND GET DEVELOPED!

Ex 34:29-35

A film captures an image by being exposed to the image. But a film that is overexposed gets spoilt. That film becomes useless.

We are like a roll of film. When we are exposed to God, we capture something of His image. And, unlike the ordinary film, the more we are exposed to God the more His image is developed in us. Have you noticed that people who really pray and pray regularly exude an aura of the divine?

When Moses came down from the mountain after talking with God, his face shone so brightly that he needed to cover his face with a veil. Having been exposed to God’s unveiled presence, his countenance became blindingly radiant.

When we visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament do we become more and more like Jesus? When we wallow in God’s presence each time we meditate and pray, do we reflect God’s image to others?

I remember Fr. Ismael Misolas from my younger days. When I was serving as sacristan in my hometown parish, he would teach me catechism in the afternoon. I would arrive early in church to prepare for my one-on-one catechism class with him before the 6:00 P.M. Mass. Almost everyday, when I get to the parish church, I would see him either sitting or kneeling before the tabernacle, absorbed in deep prayer. As a twelve year old kid, I was captured by Fr. Misolas’ image more than his image captured by me. It was during those afternoons that I would look intently on him from a distance and whisper to Jesus, “Lord, I want to be like him when I grow up.”

Now that I have grown up, I understand why Fr. Misolas’ image was so powerfully captivating for me. As he knelt or sat before the Blessed Sacrament, he was telling the Lord, “Jesus, I want to be like You until I die.” I know because I am also a priest now. I know because that is my prayer too.

You may be a priest or not a priest, but that is your prayer too, is it not? So, let us keep on exposing our selves to Jesus…sana ma-develop tayo! (“I hope we get developed!”)