Discerning the Challenges of the BEC Journey in the Light of the New Evangelization!

Photo by Brenda P. Milan

Madayaw na Pag-abot is our expression of welcome in the Diocese of Mati! To the Archbishop of Davao and CBCP President Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, DD, Most Rev. Jose A. Cabantan, DD, CBCP-BEC Desk Chairman, Msgr. Manny Gabriel, CBCP-Executive Secretary BEC Desk, dear Excellencies, Monsignori, Priests, Religious Men and Women, deacons, seminarians, our dedicated lay people after a day in Davao – Madayaw na Pag-abot! For the first timers enjoy the beautiful City of Davao and do not leave the City without tasting the King of the Fruits – the famous durian.

This gathering is extra special this is gathering of people who are so immersed with the work in the BECs. These are really the people who are ploughing and minding the sheep of the master. For this reason, I thank the people in the steering committee for choosing me to be the presider in this mass during the second day of our national assembly.

“The Discerning Lowly and Mere Servants!”

The keynote speaker this morning (Most Rev. Guillermo V. Afable, DD) brought us to the reality of the BECs in our time and he challenged us how the BECs can be responsive to the call of Pope Francis to the new evangelization. In the encyclical letter of Pope Paul VI Ecclesiam Suam which is also found in the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis “Evangelii Gaudium” it says, “the Church must look with penetrating eyes within herself, ponder the mystery of her own being. . . this vivid and lively self-awareness inevitably leads to a comparison between the ideal image which the church as Christ envisaged her and loved her as His holy and spotless bride and the actual image which the Church presents to the world today.” The beautiful statement of the Pope is reflected in the activities that we are doing since yesterday until Thursday. Let me center my sharing with you on these two main thoughts; one/first, the act of discerning and two/second, from the point of view of the servant.

The Act of Discerning:

“The Church must look with penetrating eyes within herself,” is truly the life of the Church in her missionary journey. We need reflect on how much we have done, how far we have gone, and how our work of evangelization. This will help us deepen our commitment to serve God. Discerning the challenges in the BEC journey is our way of looking at ourselves with penetrating eyes. In us we see the many charism/s that we use for the spread of the gospel. Bishop Afable clearly underscored the strength that the BEC possessed which is aimed at bringing the Good News to the people. We have heard as well the systematic presentations of the different theological reflections on the realities of the BECs coming from different contexts; namely from – Mindanao, Visayas, Luzon, and the Metro Manila context. In those presentations we were able to have a glimpse on how the BECs functioned where the gospel is accepted and is shared to others.

What added flesh to the discernment that we are doing is the story- telling activity about our own actual experience of the life of the BECs. Most of us shared how the BEC as a family strengthened our faith in God. This is discernment! In this manner we see how God works wonders in our lowliness. We realize that though how simple and how insignificant we are in the community but when God uses us for a definite mission we see the tremendous effects first in ourselves and second to the community that we are serving. This opportunity of discernment leads us to have a vivid and lively awareness which enables us to compare with the ideal image of the Church that Jesus established. Marami pong mga magagandang karanasan at malalalim na mga reflections base po sa ating naranasan sa pagsisilbi natin sa ating mga BECs.

Alam ko po na marami din pong mga mabibigat na hamon sa pagbibigay natin sa ating sarili sa BECs. There are big challenges. There are more demands and among them is to be more ready and competent to bring the gospel in this age of the millennials. However, in this moment of discernment of where we are now in our journey we always refer back if we still reflect well the image of the ideal Church which Jesus established. This is always our hope and aspiration as we serve the BECs. As the Vatican II document Lumen Gentium mentioned, “the Church becomes on earth the budding forth of that Kingdom.” This is our hope and prayer that amidst the challenges in the BEC journey this way of being a church is still reflective of the budding forth of the kingdom of God.

Discernment from the Point of View of a Servant:

In our gospel reading today taken from Luke 17:7-10 it says, “do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, we are worthless servants, we have done only what we ought to have done (vv 9-10).” It appears that the parable seems to be very harsh. As if the Master did not give the servant the chance to relax. Pahayahay pud ta oi nagtrabaho gud ta. Mao ni kanunay ang atong mentalidad. Kinahanglan bayaran ta sa atong kahago! What is given the stress here, according to biblical scholars, “is the responsible ministry on the part of the slaves (church officials) who till the field of the church and shepherd its flock. In this particular context the point is not that disciples are not worth anything in themselves, or in their work for the Lord. The fact that disciples have done their duty does not empower them to lay a claim upon God that they are worthy of God’s graciousness. That graciousness is and remains SHEER GIFT.”

Brothers and sisters, yes we labor much in the vineyard of the Lord. Some have been in the BEC/GKK for thirty (30), twenty five (25), fifteen (15), or ten (10), we have labored much. There is always the danger to claim our rewards. Take for instance like in malls or department stores when you have shown loyalty and patronage in going there for your shopping that you accumulate points and then later you can claim your rewards in the form of many perks and privileges. In our discernment brothers and sisters, we will have to put on the glasses of the slaves. When we encourage people in the community to join in the prayers, when we visit homes and challenge the members to give their share of gifts and donations for those people who are in need – we do all these without expecting any return.

One time I visited a BEC located on top of the mountain because they celebrated their 75th Fiesta celebration I had the chance to ask one of the GKK leaders. “Manong ilang taon na po kayo bilang Kaabag (BEC Leader)? Sumagot po siya 35 years na po Bishop! Di po ba kayo napakod maglakad kasi malayo po ang bahay ninyo sa chapel sa sa parokya? And he said with a smile, “ingon ani man mag-alagad Bishop naa man jud sakripisyo pero malipayon man ko kaayo!” What a touching response from a simple and ordinary BEC leader. Nagsasakripisyo at Masaya ako! He was not expecting of a reward nor recognition. All he wanted to do was to serve God and he was happy on what he was doing.

My dear brothers and sisters, in the service that we are doing to the people what is the actual image that we “the Church” presents to the world, do we still match to the ideal church which the Lord established. In our “discerning activity” we always put in mind that we are servants of this church and not the owner, nor the Master, or the Lord. We are servants. In the work of the New Evangelization we always situate ourselves as – SERVANTS. In doing our campaign to help the earthquake victims in Batanes and in recent time in Digos and Kidapawan we do this as servants who are not limited to the needs to our own BECs and Parishes but as servants who are sensitive to the needs of our fellow brothers and sisters. Hence, we roll our sleeves and help because we are His servants. God’s graciousness is a sheer gift. Siya na po ang bahala sa atin. He is more generous than anyone of us.

Conclusion:

Finally my dear brothers and sisters, in our work for the new evangelization let us be reminded by the words of Pope Francis, “evangelizers thus take on the smell of the sheep and the sheep are willing to hear their voice. An evangelizing community is also supportive, standing by people at every step of the way, no matter how difficult or lengthy this may prove to be.” Bisan daghan ang mga lisod nga hagit padayon kita sa pag-alagad. (Kahit marami ang mahihiirap na hamon sa ating panahon tuloy pa rin po tayo.)

The beauty and joy of our evangelizing work is brought in the solemn celebration of the liturgy. Let this Eucharist be always the source of renewal and drive us to be SELF-GIVING. God bless us all! (Bp. Abel C. Apigo, D.D. | Diocese of Mati)