by Rev. Dr. Mariano C. Apilado
We read daily of challenges, opportunities and problems of living together, especially when we are confronted with calamities, fatal accidents and environmental changes, also known as problematic climate change.
It is essential that we search for ways we can live together so that we can face the challenges, take full advantage of the opportunities and overcome the problems that contemporary Philippines faces, particularly the Philippines as located and seen in Davao, our beloved city.
For this week’s gospel of hope, the book of Romans chapter 15, especially verses 5- 6, can be a helpful source.
“Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The essential message is to avoid the tendency of living individualistic lives. Instead, focus on living together as members together of the body of Christ. Some helpful principles from this passage are worth mentioning.
First, let us live not primarily to please ourselves. We are from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, including a variety of economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds. Since we have chosen to live in Davao, let us make the city neither as our own private property, nor allow anyone else to make it their private property. A good guideline is: those who are strong have an obligation to assist those who are weak. All of us being in a journey together, some are further down the road in spiritual maturity than others, but we’re all in a journey of continually growing.
Second, let us strive for unity. There is one element that unites us together, and this is that we are all Filipinos with the best for our country, our children and our future in mind. Let us be responsible citizens, devoted, unconditional, without reservation in our loyalty. Whatever our culture, however we express it, what ultimately matters is that we’re followers of the same spiritual person, known either as Jesus Christ, for Christians, or Mohammed, for Muslims. The challenge is to be of one mind and one mouth to glorify the God. When we believe in one ultimate spiritual being, we can experience a unity that can bring honor and glory to God and ultimately honor to ourselves as a people.
Third, we should accept each other. Accept one another, then, just as Christ or Mohammed has accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. How did our religious leaders, Christ and Mohammed, accept us, accept you? When I was lost, Jesus accepted me totally and forgave me unconditionally. Since we have been accepted and forgiven, let us welcome, accept and forgive each other. Welcome means to embrace, to invite into one’s life, to invite into one’s circle, to invite into one’s family.
Fourth, let us correct each other. Spiritual maturity is more than knowing the right stuff. Spiritual maturity is being the right kind of person—full of goodness and complete in knowledge and therefore, “able also to admonish one another” (15: 14) When you’re full of kindness and you’re competent in knowledge, you have a responsibility to instruct, to warn, and to admonish the less endowed. We don’t grow in the Lord independently of each other. We have a responsibility—in gentleness, goodness, but with the truth—to confront, to warn, and to admonish one another.
Fifth, let us pray for each other. “Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me …” (v. 30). How often have we told another person “I’ll pray for you”, only to completely forget within the hour that promise? How much of your prayer life is devoted to praying for people other than yourself and your immediate family? Prayer is the means by which God works in His church.
To live together and grow together cannot happen when we are disconnected from the body politic of the city and of the country. It does not and it cannot happen overnight. We may not be able to meet together often, but we can develop a mental attitude that we belong together. We can pray for one another. We need to be intentional about our relationships with each other and committed to living our life as one body of citizens.
Together, let us search for ways that we can live together. Together let us live and face the challenges, take full advantage of the opportunities and overcome the problems that confront us.
