5th Day of Simbang Gabi 2013

Thomas A. Edison was working on a crazy contraption called a “light bulb” and it took a whole team of men 24 straight hours to put just one together. The story goes that when Edison was finished with one light bulb, he gave it to a young boy helper, who nervously carried it up the stairs. Step by step he cautiously watched his hands, obviously frightened of dropping such a priceless piece of work. You’ve probably guessed what happened by now; the poor young fellow dropped the bulb at the top of the stairs. It took the entire team of men twenty-four more hours to make another bulb. Finally, tired and ready for a break, Edison was ready to have his bulb carried up the stairs. He gave it to the same young boy who dropped the first one. This story gives us a clear idea of what it means to trust. Edison knew that the young boy is fallible yet he offered his trust to him. He wanted to convey to the boy that human as he is, he is entitled to commit mistakes. Those mistakes are not the reasons in offering his trust. Rather, it is because of his continued trust to the boy despite his mistakes gives the latter a reason to avoid making the same and similar mistakes in the future. My dear friends, in talking about trust, our Gospel has something to say about it too. In Luke 1:26-38, the Bible reveals that God trusts a human being in the person of Mama Mary. God is never afraid that Mama Mary, though human as she is, becomes the mother of God's only son, Jesus. This means that despite the reality of human weakness, God believes that a human being can follow His will. Mama Mary accepted the trust bestowed on her by God saying, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Hopefully, we too receive positively what God has entrusted to us. Amen.