I am not scared

"I am not scared of Jesus kasi mabait siya" (I am not scared of Jesus because he is good), exclaimed my daughter. We went to the Calvary Hills in Iguig one lazy Sunday afternoon. We were planning to take a little walk, have the little kids run around the cathedral grounds and appreciate and reflect on the depictions of the stations of the cross. So much for planning.

There were many people that day. Some highschool students were practicing their "sabayang pagbigkas" piece. Some students were practicing on their dances. There were lots of distractions and it was not a the perfect time for reflection. The little Nate was also asleep so there goes the hope of letting the kids run around to give me and my wife an opportunity to take a stroll. Since Nate was asleep, we had to carry him. That meant no more chance in walking and tracing the stations of the cross. We also wanted to come closer to the statues and appreciate the art and bust depiction of Jesus passion, but Nea was hesitant.

The first station that we passed through was the Pieta, where the badly beaten body of Jesus lies in the loving embrace of Mary. Nea saw Jesus all bloodied and miserable. But more than the image of Christ, I think she was scared of the oversized statues that looked so real. I asked her, "that is Jesus, do you want to touch him?" She replied, "No!" I asked again, "why, are you scared of Jesus?" She said, "I am not scared of Jesus kasi mabait siya."

I wondered what Nea meant with what she said. She explained that "mabait si Jesus di ba, kasi mabait siya sa mga kids like me. My teacher said in Sunday School that Jesus is so good he made us mother earth, the seas, the sky, the trees and all the animals. O di ba, he is good? So I am not scared of him."

"Oo nga naman." Why would I be scared of somebody that is good? If God is good, then why be scared of God? Of course, fear and scared are two different things but that's a discussion for another essay. I was thankful that at an early age Little Children, like Nea, already have an idea that our God is a good and loving God.