|
In this issue of “Servant Leader,” allow me to share the
special homily from his Excellency Ricardo Cardinal
Vidal delivered during the welcome mass for our new
Nuncio, Archbishop Edward Adams.
AS
stewards of God’s work, we are reminded by Jesus to
consider ourselves his humble servants, never claiming
any credit for ourselves or presuming a debt of
gratitude from God: “We are useless servants, we have
done only what we are obliged to do.”
“Utang
na loob,” the Filipino version of having a sense of
gratitude, is presumed not only by the official in
relation to his wards, but also by the ordinary Filipino
in relation to God. Thus, an official feels indebted to
his patrons, and people feel indebted to their
officials. The patrons expect something in return, just
as the official feels a sense of entitlement in relation
to his constituents.
Every
project he performs for them entitles him to a cut of
the fund. And still, the people feel infinitely grateful
for his generosity.
What is
true in sociopolitical practice is also true in the
exercise of faith. “Patronage politics” translates into
“patronage religion,” and vice versa. We look up to God
as Giver of good gifts, but our good behavior, too,
holds Him in debt. It is as if we have elected God to be
our padron, and therefore hold him accountable for all
our needs.
We
cannot go on like this. We cannot go on basing our
social relationships on the values of generosity and
gratitude alone. We must act in terms of duties and
responsibilities as well. The performance of our duties
must never engender in us a sense of entitlement. “We
are only useless servants; we have done only what we
ought to do.” And while we may be grateful to people who
are conscientious in the performance of their duties, we
must not feel so indebted to them to the point of
neglecting our own obligations for the sake of repaying
a debt of gratitude.
We must
find the proper balance between our sense of gratitude
and our sense of duty. We are grateful people, too
grateful for our own good. We easily fall for anyone who
gives largesse with his right hand, even if his other
hand is robbing us blind.
By
assuming our duties and obligations, we can learn to
live in integrity and honesty. Saint Paul reminds us in
his Letter to the Romans: “The only thing you should owe
to anyone is to love one another. . .” (Rom. 13:8) And
love, the Apostle qualifies in Corinthians I, “does not
rejoice at wrongdoing but finds its joy in the truth.”
(1 Cor. 13:6)
The
Philippines might be poor in many respects, but when one
meets the people whose faith has endured in spite of so
many vicissitudes, one will see that we are not a people
without hope.
Our hope
is in the Lord, who has never left us orphans. Our hope
is in the Blessed Virgin Mary, who has always been our
mother. Yet, no matter how deeply rooted this hope may
be in the devotion of our people to the Lord and His
mother, we, the leaders of the Church, cannot simply
allow it to degenerate into complacency and
indifference. We must direct this hope into a moral
renewal, led by the example of our lives and the charity
of our vision. We cannot speak in a cacophony of
conflicting opinions. We must always stay united in
truth and in charity.
Ricardo
J. Cardinal Vidal
Archbishop of Cebu
For comments/feedback: e-mail: caritas_manila@yahoo.com;
for donations to Caritas Manila: 563-9311; and for
inquiries: 563-9308 and 563-9298; Fax: 563-9306. |
