25/11/2025
A Grace in Disguise: A Short Reflection on Being Stranded
Rev. Fr. Richard Dumalag
Sometimes the moments that stop us in our tracks are the very moments God uses to move our hearts.
What we first saw as an inconvenience, our Diocesan Pastoral Team being stranded in Iloilo after attending the Metropolitan Research Assembly, slowly revealed itself to be a quiet blessing. Sometimes God interrupts our plans not to burden us, but to give us space to breathe, to listen, and to rediscover His presence in the unexpected.
We often think mission happens only in our schedules, our plans, and the programs we carefully prepare. But this experience reminded us that mission also lives in the pauses, the waiting, and the unplanned spaces where we learn to trust that God is still shaping our journey.
Being stranded became more than a delay; it became an invitation: an invitation to slow down, to appreciate one another, and to notice the simple graces we often overlook when life moves too quickly.
In this unexpected situation, we experienced the generosity of the Archdiocese of Jaro, whose kindness turned our difficulty into a moment of hospitality and communion. Their warm welcome and readiness to accommodate us at the Residencia Arzobispo de Jaro was more than just an act of generosity it was a living reminder of the Church’s heart: open, compassionate, and always ready to serve. In their embrace, we felt the care of a family, and through them, we saw the gentle providence of God at work.
Thanks to this experience, we realize that being stranded did not stop our mission; it deepened it. It taught us patience, strengthened our unity, and reminded us that God’s blessings often come wrapped in unexpected forms. What could have been a moment of frustration and disturbance became a moment of grace, one that renewed our spirit to continue serving with gratitude, openness, and renewed hope.
May this experience remind us that the very moments that interrupt our plans can also be the moments God uses to shape us. As He did in Iloilo, may He continue to surprise us with grace in the unexpected, to deepen our trust when our paths shift, and to open our hearts to become, like the Archdiocese of Jaro, living instruments of compassion and generosity wherever He leads us. Through every pause and every unplanned turn, may we always remember: God is still moving our hearts. Truly, a grace in disguise! 😊❤️🙏
