Rejoinder

Here is a rejoinder I made to Bro. Gil when he sent me a comment on my previous blog. As usual, his comments are incising and insightful as he is.

Bro. Gil's Email:

First of all, I would like to thank you for sending me these emails - your personal reflections. I must say I am spiritually touched by them. This latest one struck me most.

I could not agree more to everything you've said. There is however, a lingering question in my mind. "How much of your service is addressing the current pressing problem of our community?"

Like you perhaps, I was 'the' top student when I was in High School minor seminary. Every year I was elected as class president even in absentia.
I was the captain of our varsity team, lead musician of our choir, chairman of various committees, editor in chief of the school paper and senior yearbook, then delivered the valedictory address during the graduation. I'd been very busy. But when my classmates and I moved to major college seminary I chose to relinquish the leadership clandestinely. I will never forget when I had to rig the freshman class presidential election so I will lose against a classmate I would like to 'relieve' me of my duties! To this day I have not told anyone about this except my bestfriend in the class who told me that he could not accept the result of the election as he had made the survey and I should have won in a landslide. His disbelief to my revelation has turned into bitterness as he told me that he felt betrayed.He said he had thrown his unequivocal support for me and attracted a number more only to be told that " I was no longer comfortable to be their leader". I had a long talk with him probably in the same lines as your attached email. He accepted my profused apologies but our class had never been the same again. Whenever our group would experience dissention, failed to get the top recognition or "rise to the next level", I bear the guilt of his accusing eyes. This is the guilt which I'll probably endure for the rest of my mortal life.

I must accept that we all have different circumstances in life. My experience can be far fetched from yours. However, I can only deduce similar results, that is: there will be people who will look upon you for leadership once they sensed it on you. And I do witnessed it on you. When Bro Gani et al. requested you to accept (household/unit?) leadership, I believe they were right. I Believe you have the qualities of a leader. What you may not have at the moment maybe is the HUMILITY to accept this fact (that is if we will use St Therese's definition of humility, i.e. Humility is truth. Once I took the pain of approaching a guitarist to applaud his excellent playing. His reply to me was, "Naku, hindi naman". He may thought he was being humble but to me he was just being plain vain modest - an oxymoron term).

I firmly believe Couples for Christ-Australia, particularly our group, is in its current state and is still contemplating "to rise to the next level", is because we always lack the right leaders that will take us where we need to be. So I restate my question: "How much of your service is addressing this current problem of our community?"
But let not my words persuade you. Let us pray instead for the guidance of the Holy Spirit because I believe that no matter how you refuse, if you're just like Jonah, you will not have a choice ultimately when the Lord calls you for service.

Bringing couples to Christ that will renew the face of the earth - our mission and vision, let us instil this deeper in our hearts and minds.

Yours in Christ, Bro Gil

My response:

I was not expecting a comment from you, but nonetheless, thanks for sharing and I greatly appreciate your thoughts. I would like to reply to your question with the following quotes....

The noblest service comes from nameless hands, And the best servant does his work unseen.

OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES

Not the maker of plans and promises, but rather the one who offers faithful SERVICE in small matters. This is the person who is most likely to achieve what is good and lasting.

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

To give real SERVICE you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with any standards, and that is sincerity and integrity.

Douglas Adams


In a nutshell, my thoughts of service is not only relegated for the Community. I personally witnessed, long before I joined CFC, how neighbors, friends and even strangers were influenced by the way my family lived the christian values we've been taught to practice. We didn't belong to any community then, no households to lead and no christian fellowship go to. Thus, joining CFC was just a confirmation of that practice.

The pressing problem in the community, as I see it, is not borne out of lack of good leaders. Anybody could be a leader, just motivate them, challenge them, pray for them and show your support and surely they would rise to the occasion. The problem with the community, again as I see it, is the lack of dynamism of the members. We revert back to becoming static after an ecstatic CLP or a spirit-filled praise and worship. We do not keep our momentum because we don't practice the learnings, the values, the truths after those occasions.

Gawad Kalinga, we admit, has become a larger than life ministry of CFC because it keeps its momentum, its focus, its truths and you see the results as they build from one village/house to another. In fact, the World is more aware of Gawad Kalinga than it is aware of CFC. Why? because it has risen to the next level with the help of people who cared, who would spend their time with them, who gave out donations because they see a revealing truth. It is becoming successful not necessarily because of its leaders...but because the genuine concern that its workers have shown and displayed.

What does it have to do with me? I could be good leader...yes. I can be a capable leader...yes. I am ready to become a leader...yes. I am throwing back the question...Would you think that me and the likes of me becoming leaders would address the current problem in our community? I don't think so, because it would be a disservice to the likes of you and the current crop of leaders (who we know are very capable leaders) to think that you failed to address this present problem. You need people like us to brainstorm, to discuss things out but not to Lead.

And that is the premise of my blog...Following the leader - is an action word for us CFC members to do just that, because currently most of us aren't. Not only following the leader also but follow up on the learnings gained after CLP, after any inspirational talk, after any CFC activity. When its members rise to that level, as I believe I and my wife have, then we see people looking up at us a group and they themselves being transformed, being influenced and being evangelized..as what we can see currently with the works the Gawad Kalinga. And you don't need to be a leader to do that.

Just like Luke, the likes of me can chronicle, analyzse, present these things for leaders to be aware of, members to be concerned about and record it for future purposes. And I hope they would listen because we lived, breathe and practice what we preach. And I have already seen the HUMILITY (the TRUTH) as you say and I could comfortably say NO because I know in my heart that God wanted it to be so...not now, not in the near future.

Yours in Faith,

Lorvic