New batteries

I wanted to watch the late night news on TV. As I sat in front of the set at our community TV room, I grabbed the remote control to switch it on. I kept pressing the gadget but nothing was happening. Checking the remote, I realized that the batteries were exhausted. No wonder it wasn’t working! I usually keep a stock of new batteries in my room so I rushed to get replacements. No sooner had I put in a new set of batteries and clicked the remote control, the TV came to life.

Getting new batteries can be a metaphor for life.

Recently, I talked to a Salesian priest from Thailand who came to Cebu for a seminar. He shared how the floods in the capital of Bangkok caused great inconvenience and trouble to many of their people. This flooding has been the worst in 60 years. A third of Thailand is still under water. But misfortunes like this also bring out the best in people.

He related the experience of some people of a town few kilometers outside Bangkok who used to wait for buses to go to the city. Before the flood, they would board the bus without talking to one other. Inside the bus, some swould just read a newspaper, others would be texting or calling friends on the phone. Each was indifferent to one another. Normally the bus-boarding would be disorderly and chaotic as each would scramble for a seat.

When the flood came and no buses were available, they had to wait for hours to hitch a ride. It gave them an opportunity to talk about their situation and socialize. They started getting to know one another.

Once a pickup truck stopped. The driver offered to bring assengers to the capital. When several had seated themselves comfortably, there was no more room for two remaining individuals. Instantly, from among the group, a woman suggested that all must stand to accommodate everybody. Thus they all stood up holding hands together for balance until they reached Bangkok. Along the way, they talked and befriended one another. As each passenger got off to his or her destination, they smiled and waved to one another saying “goodbye” and “see you again!”

These people acquired a new paradigm. They got new batteries in their hearts.

We can run on old batteries in our lives. Signs and symptoms tell us our lamp is low on oil. Perhaps we become irritable or impatient. Our relationships get sour and stressful. Other times we carry a baggage of prejudice and negativity that burdens our family or co-workers. Our home suddenly becomes a prison and we feel surrounded by enemies in the office. Loving unconditionally is now terribly burdensome. Faith itself may be challenged by an inner turmoil because of difficulties we are going through. Even prayer becomes an empty ritual of conformity and tradition. And we sense that something deep within us needs to recharge.

God gives us opportunities for re-charge and a change of new batteries by making us start again. We are aware that our daily existence is marked by the passage of time and seasons.

For the Christian, Advent is that opportunity for a new beginning. The prophet Isaiah in the First Reading of the First Sunday of Advent gives an insightful remark about ourselves before God: “We are the clay and You are the potter: we are the work of your hands” (Is 64:7).

As we enter this new year of the Church, this is an invitation to discard old batteries for new ones. We pray for new enthusiasm, new energy, new courage to continually respond to what God wants of us.

As we rise above our laziness and lack of commitment, we ask God, our Divine Potter, to infuse us with a new spirit and remake us once again into beautiful and useful vessels for His glory.