2. Wala ka sa Lolo ko. He came back from the grave.

25 August 2020

Parable of the Good Samaritan by Balthasar van Cortbemde (1647) shows the Good Samaritan tending the injured man while the Levite and priest are also shown in the distance.

Balthasar van Cortbemde • Public domain

Wala ka sa Lolo ko. He came back from the grave.

FPJ movies would be that he was black and blue, then he will be back with vengeance.

Wala ka sa Lolo ko. He was literally black and blue, and he came back from the grave.

“When he saw him, he took pity on him.” (Luke 10:33). That's from the story of the Good Samaritan.

One day, my children's children will say, my Lolo came back from the grave, for pity, Good Samaritans had on him.

For a span of about five years, from late 2000 to late 2005, for about half of that period, in gaps, I was not earning. My children were starting college. I earlier afforded to send them to De La Salle Lipa High School.

Later, I would read, Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Timothy 5:8).

I became a Christian in 2004, at age 44, and was baptized in 2006.

Back to my midlife crisis, I sank into depression and had severe stomach spasms. I would sleep with a pillow on my stomach, in fetal position that I would wake up with severe back pains. Fetal position, I realized now, literally, I was born again.

Good Samaritans, a Christian couple shared the gospel and shared about P 90,000 to update amortization for the housing loan. A Pastor came over weekly for bible study which I was not initially interested but obliged after all I had nothing to do.

Then came the full scholarship at Ateneo for my eldest daughter, and the following year also full scholarship for my other daughter, and for my son, the youngest, we afforded him to complete high school at DLSL through promissory note. We were planning to transfer him to another school on his senior year for financial reasons, glad that it had not had to happen. Wifey's siblings took in my two daughters while in Ateneo.

The short of the story, The Lord has chastened me severely,

    but he has not given me over to death. (Psalm 118:18).

Am now turning sweet sixty next month, a superlolo at that, with five grandchildren over the span starting 2017. The youngest born just after the quarantine and whom we were only able to cradle after three months.

To the Good Samaritans in my life, you are all God-sent, and my prayer is that the Lord continue to bless your heart for you are a blessing to neighbors.

Let me ask, have you encountered Somebody who came back from the grave. I have, I encountered The Lord Jesus Christ, He is the Resurrection and the Life. Amen.

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Luke 10

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 

31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 

32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 

33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

Luke 10

34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 

35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

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Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)