Lance, a youth from Mati in southern Philippines, shares his experience of love and hope amid a very tense situation in his family. Lance met the Gospel life of unity through a friend during meeting with some young members of the Focolare in Mati City, Davao Oriental. What struck him were their concrete experiences in living the Gospel. He narrates, “It became like a burning fire that I always carry in my heart. The vivid smiles of these young people remained with me… Now, through the life shared together and the strong unity of our community in Mati, this way of life has helped me handle problems that come my way. Maybe if I hadn’t met this life, I would have been much worse off.”
“One day,” he continues, “I felt my parents giving each other the cold shoulder. I was sure something was happening. True enough, the tension between them mounted and suddenly they were shouting at each other and I didn’t know why.” For Lance, fights between other married couples were normal, but not when it came to his parents. According to him, “They’ve raised us up without quarrels or arguments between them. That’s why I was pretty scared that such a thing was happening.”
Both of them were arguing loudly about something. Strongly reprimanding his Mum, his Dad told her to pack her things and leave. Lance’s heart beat rapidly when he heard this, and he pleaded that they stop fighting. However, his father exploded angrily and asked him to keep quiet. He recalled, “My tears were rolling down, but I did not lose hope. Praying to God for help, I asked why He was giving me such pain, though I knew somehow that it was Him, Jesus forsaken on the cross, in that suffering.”
He continues, “I was really afraid that our family would break up. Their quarrel worsened to the point that my father left home, telling us that he would go away and never come back anymore. He got on his motorcycle and left. “Is this the end of my family? I asked myself. But deep within me, I still believed that he would come back.”
Lance decided to visit a church, where he prayed to Jesus asking him to heal everyone’s heart. He continued, “I never lost hope because I knew that everything would turn out right. In the life of unity, we are encouraged to ‘live the present moment.’ I believe that everything happens for a reason, so I have to live the Gospel, continue to hope and have faith in Jesus. And God did answer my prayers! As I was leaving the church and about to cross the street to go back home, I saw my father approaching. He stopped in front of me and told me that he had come to pick me up! He had decided to come back home!” His father apologized for what had happened, and told him: “Let’s go home and eat.”
Lance’s suffering gave way to so much joy. Heading home they bought half a kilo of lechon (roasted pork) to celebrate. At home his father apologized for what had happened. His mother accepted the apology and they are now reconciled. Lance affirms in the end, “I was very happy to experience how Jesus is really close to us, listening to our prayers and taking care of us.”
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