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When it hits you, it really comes hard and strong. You will never see it coming and when you do, you’re taken off guard because you have let your defenses down. The mighty and sturdy fence built for several years is slowly and surely broken down, piece by piece, leaving you defenseless and irrational. And no matter how you try to maintain calm and peace within, the turmoil just gets stronger and you are pressured to give in. In fact, the very thing that keeps you together is the realization that you are already fallen apart.

I am particularly struck by this Sunday’s sermon. Before going to mass on a Sunday afternoon, I’ve already read a reflection on today’s readings. The theme for reflection was "betrayal" and the sermon focused on "frustrations" or "disappointments."  Fr. Cesar went on to explain the irony that after the people celebrated Christ’s coming, they were the very same people that put him to death. And he said that according to scholars, the reactions of these people could probably be because of their frustrations — they never expected the Messiah to be so lowly and not the typical savior they have pictured in their minds.

Expectations really bring on a lot of frustrations to everyday living. And yet, it can’t be helped. As they say, we can only appreciate and experience happiness when we have been down and out with sorrow. Even if you expect for the worst, some twist of fate could still lead to the unexpected — that what you thought was the worst cannot even remotely compare to how bad things have become.

And although we cannot help but expect, we are sure to be filled with more disappointments. Life will never be worthwhile if it were only full of happy moments, and glory will never be as sweet without defeat.