More, like you

While attending a conference in Kuala Lumpur by the Institute for World Evangelisation, ICPE Mission, the Catholic lay community I belong to, I was completely captivated by a painting of the Eucharist which adorned the front of the altar. I wanted to know where I could actually get a similar image but never got round to asking the organizers. Plus, I figured I could shop online. Lo and behold, it was an original painting done by my community sister B who lives in KL. I texted her to tell her how taken I was with it and she promptly gifted it to me. I was thrilled and felt really loved and honoured by her.

B had painted it in four minutes flat, in preparation for an outreach she did in 2018, where she decided to showcase her gift of art. The painting was a response to the question: What is so special about being Catholic? B felt that as a Catholic, she was united with all her brothers and sister universally – past, present and future – when she received Jesus in the sacrament of the Eucharist.  

She used the background splash of colours to represent how the Body and Blood of Christ burst forth life and love onto and into everyone, and everything under the sun. Our God is always lavish with His love, like the sower who wastefully sows seeds everywhere, even on the path and rocky ground, and His extravagant love flows from that one tiny piece of unleavened bread and a singular goblet of wine.

When B asked me how her piece spoke to me, I said it is only when I place Christ before me (and within me and around me), that I am able to see what is true, good and beautiful emerge in my life, as represented by the vibrant colours. Through Christ, my world comes fully alive, in real living colour. That the colours were like a rainbow reminded me of how God always calls me to be in covenant with Him, to allow myself to experience a fulfilling intimacy that can only come from bonding with Him sacramentally. It implies a full-hearted yes as answer from me.

I placed B’s painting in between my grandchildren’s creations and what came to me, on the Feast of the Transfiguration, was this: as individuals, we are like single fish swimming along, beautiful and complex in our beings, but if we have not encountered the Lord, our world, and we, ourselves, are devoid of colour. We live in a world that is flat, maybe even dark, without colour, as solitary creatures, lacking real purpose and identity.

However, in a personal encounter with the living Christ, we cannot help but be transformed. The true colours of our identity emerge, for the colourful rays of Christ’s love have touched us and we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit. And so we can go out, together, as missionary disciples, to spread the joy of the Good News to everyone. We can live and breathe the hope and light of the kerygma, enabling those around us to believe that life can be so much more than what it is, just because Jesus came to save us by His life, death and resurrection. Love, this salvific love, the act of dying to self, for the better of the other, is what it is all about, as followers of Christ.

While the parameters of my life haven’t changed very much since returning home from the conference, I do feel renewed in my faith, and I know that more is expected and required from me, as more was just so recently given to me. Challenges lie afoot.

The word, magis, sums it up for me, which is the Latin word for more. What do I desire in my life? If indeed it is more of Christ in my life, which it is, then I can only strive to do more for Him, for His greater glory. Thus, I must be more, every single day, without fail. And maybe, just maybe, I can grow more and more into the person He sees in me, a me of whom I only have occasional glimpses.

Dear Lord

Make me more

Like you

So I can be more

Your hands your feet

Light in the darkness

Comfort in sorrow

Strength in sickness

Courage in fear

Peace in desolation

Food for the hungry

Life to those who are bereft

Make me more

By Your grace