WE cannot deny that in our family and community life, we have to contend with the unavoidable differences and even conflicts that we can have with others. For this, we have to be ready to be always patient and charitable if only to keep our family life and fraternity alive and healthy.
Once we commit ourselves to closely follow Christ, we will realize that patience and strength to withstand whatever difficulties we encounter in our dealings with others can only come from love as lived and as commanded on us by Christ.
With this patience that is fueled by Christian charity, we can manage to overcome fear, pain and whatever dangers can come our way. We can manage to resist evil and to persist in doing good. We can somehow overcome our own limitations, and can manage to be accepting of others no matter how different and in conflict they are with us.
We should not forget that Christ deals with us according to our needs, and that is how we should also try to deal with each other. Our affection for one another should not be lost in the anonymity of whatever crowd we may be in. Like Christ, we should pay attention in a very personal and intimate way to each person we meet.
If we are truly driven by Christian love that would enable us to be tough in our patience, we would show our affection for others with deeds and not only with good intentions. We would take the initiative to know others more and more, especially in their needs, both material and spiritual.
Of course, if we really have concern for the others, we would be most interested in helping them in their spiritual life. They will always be in our thoughts and prayers. And for them we would be willing to make sacrifices. (Fr. Roy Cimagala)
