We Need To Build More Bridges

A joke goes around during election time. A politician comes and entices the people. "If you would vote for me I will build a new bridge here!" One of citizens replied, "But, sir, we don't have rivers here." The politician answers, "Then we'll make rivers!"

I once observed a community where two of the members were at odds with each other. Both were barely speaking to each other. The matter became so bad it almost got to a point where they would pretend the other is non-existent. It is understandable that some personalities don't get along naturally. Like water and oil some people can't simply just mix. But, hey, that's the beauty of the religious community. You get diverse types of people bonded only by their faith and love of God.

What bugged me since then is not the length or the depth of their fight. It was actually the attitude of some of the other members who lived like nothing was happening. Smoke was already rising up their noses yet these members weren't minding the fire at all. Were they afraid of getting caught in the crossfire? Were they thinking it's none of their business or that such fires are not worth putting their noses to?

Edmund Burke once said: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." The false sense of human respect sometimes stops us from intervening in disagreements and fights. But as Christians we are called to be peace makers. Even more so, we have the vocation to be men and women of communion.

It is beautiful to note that the only real treasure that Christ left us is the gift of His body and blood in the Holy Eucharist. In the bread and wine of the mass, the sacred species, becomes the body and blood of Christ. God infuses himself into food that we might eat of Him and in turn become part of Him. This we call holy communion. All these people coming from all walks of life, eating the same food, becomes part the Body of Christ, the Church.

Jesus Himself was that one special point in reality where the Divinity meets Humanity. He is both God and man. In His person, humanity comes side to side with God again. The distance wedged by sin from ages ago has been bridged. This is the reason Jesus is the only Way, the only Truth, and the only Life because there is no other way to God except Him. Jesus then is the point of communion.

image credits: National Geographic

Black holes receive a lot of publicity in science news for the past decade. I can say then that Jesus is that black hole who draws all things unto himself (John 12:32). He is that singularity whose great force attracts everyone from everywhere into a point of convergence, to a point of communion. And so we can speak of a communion of saints, the communion of Churches around the See of Peter, the parish community, the religious community, and the family as the domestic church because these are all but reflections of God's call to communion.

Even in the theory of Communication, when a sender reaches out with a message for a receiver, the former's goal is to get the message across. When it does, then both sender and receiver share in and are united in the same thought. They become one in mind - that is, communication, or better yet, communion.

And so as Christians, we are missionaries of communion. No level of erudition, physical attractiveness, or polymathy can ever replace a person who can build bridges, heal divisions, and promote communication among people. We have to build bridges.

We have to because communion is the bigger movement of all reality. It is the calling of every Christian.

We are not afraid to risk it because it's easy. It can be difficult. People can be difficult to bridge. Yet in faith we believe that we are more alike than different.

Bridges can break and fall. Like physical bridges, we will feel the strain and the weight of our calling. But unlike physical bridges, when a point of communion has been reached, even if for only a second, the bridge may fade away but the communion has had its mark in eternity.

Let's build bridges.

We, the Salesians of Don Bosco

It's not often that things we casually take for granted pins us down for a moment and brings us closer reflection about the ordinary. This is what happened when I stared blankly at the name we use for all members of the Congregation, "Salesians of Don Bosco". It was there written in blank ink on a book we were using in our Salesianity class.

The mundane experience suddenly shifted in focus to those four words. I never really appreciated them for what they truly are. They were just casual things of the ordinary.

The name jumped out to me! It was a slap on the face to wake me up. There was so much to glean from the name we give ourselves.

SALESIANS. We are a community of brothers and priests who follow the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales. It was St. John Bosco who wished that the congregation take upon itself the gentleness and kindness that the Doctor of Charity had heroically followed in life. Our founder knew that to be good shepherds to the young we must possess the same gentleness and kindness of the Good Shepherd.

DON BOSCO. There are great religious congregations and orders that precede us Salesians in history and honor. Prestige shines through in their names: the Society of Jesus, the Order of St. Augustine, the Order of Preachers, and many others. Yet there is something peculiar with the Salesians. Our name bears the endeared name of our founder. We are not the Salesians of St. John Bosco. We are the Salesians of DON BOSCO - the very name the dirty street urchins of Valdocco used to call out loudly to get the attention of the smiling priest. It is a name that brings about a sense of familiarity with this priest of Turin.

The word "Don" in Italian is an address to a priest. In English it would be rendered "Father Bosco". If it were in Cebuano, "Pader Bosco", or in Filipino, "Padre Bosco". The poor young men of Valdocco had been calling Father John Bosco that in their games in the field, in their classes, and in their workshops. Much like the challenge of Jesus to call the Father, "Abba", so does the name "Don Bosco" an attitude of trust and confidence towards our saint. "Don Bosco" is a name that speaks so much of friendship and family to that marginalized generation who knew no real friend and had no real family. It is the same with us.

And when we use such a name for the Congregation, it also brings to mind that this Society of Salesians is not a society of scholars, administrators, nor social workers. Rather it recalls the deep bond shared with that kindly priest of the 19th century who labored so much for the salvation of souls. The Salesians of Don Bosco is a community, a family, a brotherhood bound by familiarity and kindness. Did not Don Bosco wish that our Family Spirit set us apart?

To bear the congregation in my name, Salesian of Don Bosco, is an affirmation of a commitment to live on the joyful spirit of trust and friendship, gentleness and kindness. The nearing bicentenary of Don Bosco's birth is both a symbolic and real challenge to give birth again to that kindly person, a maker of saints, friend of the young, and bring him again through our ministry, in our persons and communities, in our time and place - bearers of God's love to the young.

Gugmang Di Kasuklian

Kung nahigugma ako kanimo
Wala ako'y ikapasigarbo
Kun dili nga gibiyaan ko ang tanan
Aron kanunay naa sa imong kiliran

Karong nahimamat ko ang pagka-ikaw
Tanan sa mata ko nahanaw'g napanaw
Sa sihag sa imong himaya
Salabotan ko nagpaubaya

Agaka ako sa paghigugma kanimo
Kay bisan sa paningkamot ko
Nihibalo ka sa akong kahuyang
Daw gugmang wa'y kaalam

Wala sa akong kusog ni sa kabaskug
Nga masuklian bisan man sa tingog
Ang kaayo ug gugma mo kanako
Nga ika-ikog kong ika-ako

Di matandi ang atong mga gugma
Kay para kanako gugma mo walay sama
Ug kung biyaan ko man ang tanan
Kini gihapon kulang, di masuklian

Gipildi mo ako sa imong pagbati
Ug king gugma ko akong isukli
Hinaot madawat bisan kabus ug makulang
Kay mao na ni ang akong tanan