Fixing Broken Bridges

1 Fixing Broken Bridges The BEC as a Way of Reconciling Differences by EJ Cabilan

The Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) is defined as “a new way of being a Church”. This approach of “being a Church” is relevant to Filipino Catholics because naturally, we possess the following values:

 Person-oriented (“kalooban”, “gikan sa kinahiladman”, kasingkasing”, “gininhawaan”)  Relational (close and extended family ties, “pakikisama”, “pakikipagkapwa”)  Community-oriented (“bayanihan”) All of these specific values are being deepened by integrating them in our “rituals”. Rituals and other forms of celebrations give meaning to our existence. They serve as ways of expressing our relatedness not only to ourselves and to one another but above all to a powerful Life-giving powerful force whom we call as God. Thus, our being Spirit-oriented is an essential component of who we are as persons and as a community. The four above mentioned Filipino values can be synthesized into three dimensions that are true to all namely:  The Subject (“I”)  The Horizontal (“I” + “You” = “We”)  The Vertical (“We” & “God”) The phrase “a new way of being a Church” is not just a formula as to what a BEC is and should be. Take note of the word “being”. The word “being” ………..  is not something static but dynamic.  is not abstract but concrete/real.  is not referring to a finished product but it is associated with a process (becoming).  is not dead but living. Vatican II describes the Church as “a People of God”, “a Family of families”. The parish is defined as “a community of believers”. The BEC is understood as “a community of families”. Three underlying key points that we can get from the said presumptions namely: 1. The Human Person 2. Community 3. God No matter how divine (its Holiness is derived from the Father, through Jesus in the Holy Spirit) the Church is, still, we are confronting many issues that challenge our “being a Church, a parish and even as a BEC/GKK”. Why? Because we are persons. Looking deeply at our selves, we see “lights” and “shadows”, strengths and limitations, success and failures, capacities and frailties. We come from different backgrounds that have shaped our personal and collective lives. From these we can say that each one of us is wrapped in a unique way. We can never discover our uniqueness with its “lights” and “shadows” if we are never challenged by “deliberated” and “permitted” circumstances (problems). Such as……….. (Ask them what instances that they have had at their respective BECs) Conflicts in any human community can either be beneficial or disastrous. These can either “make” or “break” relationships/communities. Tensions are true in the following:  Leader/s vs. leader/s  Leader/s vs. member/s

2  Member/s vs. member/s Tensions lead us to two possible movements: 1. Friction creates heat. Our being “too reactive” at tensions, problems and conflicts is really one of a kind in the whole planet earth. Anger leads us to anywhere because we manage it “any how”! Anger  Indifference  Prejudice  Hatred  Being Furious = The person is on FIRE! 2. Sometimes we become cold to one another. It seems that our temperature is cold as the temperature in the Artic and in the Antartica! Anger  Indifference  Pride  Senses are “shut up” (Manhid)  Apathy If we tame these reactions when we find ourselves being confronted with problems, these can really bring us to undesirable effects. But if we take a “Pro-active stand”, these tensions that create a gap among ourselves can be opportunities for growth and development, for creativity and maturity. There are many strategies in enhancing a “pro-active stand”. I would like to propose to you the following steps: 1. SEE – to see things not only through the eyes that we have but above all in the eyes of Faith. Discernment 2. JUDGE- to choose those options/alternatives that are moves us “from darkness to light”, “from being wounded to healing”, “from emptiness to fullness”, “from alienation to reconciliation” 3. ACT-to make concrete and feasible steps that pave way for the realization of OUR visions and resolutions (participation-integration-communion) 4. EVALUATE-to monitor and to honestly assess “signs of fulfillment” in a constructive way 5. CELEBRATE-to allow the people in the community to express their sense of gratitude and hope for “all that have been and for all that will be” in a symbolic manner as a “community of sinful men and women yet called and loved by God”. The Dynamism of See-Judge-Act-Evaluate-Celebrate is characterized by the following: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Spiral Dialogic (Intrapersonal and Interpersonal) Community-building and not success-oriented Faith-driven

Final Note: As lay leaders of the Church who take a very important role in the realization of God’s kingdom, by virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation, we commit to share Jesus to our kapuso, kapamilya, kabarkada, kapatid in our respective BECs by enhancing these “higher senses”: PRESENCE COMMON SENSE HEART SENSE Thank you!

9 March 2008, Sunday A Talk Prepared for the BEC/GKK Leaders of St. Joseph the Worker Parish