A NEW MODE OF RELATING
I would assume that very few of our Sabbath readers were born with
a silver spoon in the mouth. I have no royal blood. I have never even saw, much
less use, anything that approximates a silver spoon in my life.
But I know I was born of a
particular woman whom I call mother. And so, too, were my siblings whom I call
brothers or sisters. My family of origin was a given, not a fruit of my doing.
I cannot do anything to become a member of any other family, but neither do I
have a choice not to be a son to my mother and father, and a brother to my
siblings.
This is just the way of
natural human familial relationships. But there are certain things I can “do”
to change this mode of relating.
I remember growing up with a
man whom we called Kakang Gorio (upland Cavite title for uncle). He came
one fine day to our little town disoriented, with some form of amnesia, with no
memories of where he came from and no idea of who his blood relatives were. He
was one of those who survived the Bataan Death March, or so I was told. Too
young to remember much of anything, I do remember the feelings of joy at having
an uncle live with us. He took care of me and brought home stuff when he could.
He played with me and treated me as his own nephew. He worked with my father
every day in the fields. They both planted coffee trees, cacao and other crops
in our plots of land in Tagaytay.
He worked his way to becoming
family with us. He did what he could to belong, to be loved, and to be useful
and productive in our household. When we had to move to Makati before I started
school, I remember the feeling. I was sad to part with Kakang Gorio.
I can do something to grow in relationship with Christ. “For whoever does the
will of God is brother and sister and mother to me.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB
REFLECTION QUESTION: What are you consciously doing to deepen your
relationship with Jesus, with your family, with your friends and coworkers?
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