One evening, I was walking with a brother seminarian along the seminary corridor when we heard a strange buzzing and thumping sound coming from the outside. As we began to investigate, we slid open the screen window and suddenly a bug flew in and went directly to the lighted fluorescent lamp. The strange sounds were caused by the bug as it tried to make its way through the window because it was attracted to the light.

This made me wonder. Insects are God's lesser creatures, yet within them, they are endowed with plain instinct and they unreluctantly follow it. Like what we have witnessed in the corridor, the bug instantaneously followed its attraction to the light, without thinking about the possible risks. They go to the light so that their longing will be filled in by its radiance.

On the other hand, humans, being regarded as the crowning glory of God's creation, are endowed with intellect. But how often do we follow our innate longing for God, the true light? Oftentimes because of our sophisticated way of thinking and preoccupations with various distractions, our vision gets obscured and instead of following God, we follow our own whims.

We are invited to recognize that deep within us, God planted a seed of divine longing to remind us that no matter how much we try to bask in the lights this world offers, there is a darkness within us that only the radiance of God can illumine. There will always be a void within us that only God's grace can fill.

By: Sem. John Paul T. Toting

Today's Gospel

Mt 11:25-27

At that time Jesus exclaimed:
"I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."