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Thursday, January 20, 2005
Legaspi: Justice, charity and common good?
By Carlos Legaspi, Jr.
Questions that matter
WE ARE now living in a very complex and material world that is also too secular and superficial. We oftentimes put more emphasis on the appearances of beings rather than on their essence. We are more concerned of how things seem to be and not what the being really is. We often have forgotten the inner beauty of things and aspects that keep this being existing.
In our society, we are more concerned of nomenclatures and titles and not on the very existence of our fellowmen. Last Christmas, many were passing Christmas messages that really did not come from them but these were also passed to them. Many Christmas cards are now pretexted that the sender does not really mean what they are saying. One buys the card not because of what he has to write but because of its beautiful external appearance.
Justice, charity and common good are essential aspects in the existence of a community. One may talk aboutpolitics, economics, and a lot of superficial things but are afraid of touching the issues of justice, charity and common good. To them, these are concepts that should be left to cause-oriented groups and not a matter of discussion in elite and academic groups.
These are concepts that are always taken for granted. Many in the academe seem to see these concepts as not worthy of discussion. It seems that these concepts are too simple and does not even have space for academic discussions. Many intelligent creatures in schools often discuss very high and technical terms that they no longer know how to properly define concepts that are too simple. It comes to my recollection, one academic authority, who has nothing to do but criticize others, told everybody but not me, that my columns are not academic and are mere opinions. I pity this guy a lot. This creature has not been secure all the time and is always afraid of people. What a pity. These type of persons are termites in the institution they represent. For this person, anybody could write his/her opinion and there is nothing exemplary in what I am doing. What a pity. I hope this creature will be remembered in history as someone who has a lot of suppressed opinions.
Now, allow me to be a little child. Let me talk about simple concepts. Justice is a very easy term. Anywhere we see the term "justice" but do we really understand it is? Webster and Salgado defined it as giving to one what is due him. Look around you. There is great injustice around us. I am not saying we could change this overnight but we have to, gradually. Look at how inequitable the remuneration or salaries we receive. The simple manual worker only receive a quarter of what an elite executive receives. Who has more work? Who spends more of his sweat? The janitor receives only a quarter of the salary of the manager. Yet, the janitor does all the dirty job. Is this justice?
Charity is another simple word. No one has ever had a thesis on charity. Does this mean that charity is not a worthy concept? I think not. I think charity is far off better than reading and writing skills. Charity is giving of oneself to others. Are we ready to this? I would say if politicians would only be ready to throw away their selfish interests, then we will be living in the most ideal society in the whole wide world but are we?
Who among us are ready to give themselves for others? We cry for the justice of Roberto Lara but are we ready to exchange our lives with him? Charity reminds me of how the man hang on the cross to save the whole world from the chastisement of sin. Charity is unquantifiable, it is even indefinable and incomprehensible, yet practicable. One can say, he cannot define love but feels it. A real Catholic Christian has his whole life in the practice of charity. If we really want to be practicing Christians, then we should follow what Christ did. Are we ready to be like Christ?
I guess until today, we remain as hypocrites. We remain like the Pharisees. We see ourselves as perfect and are oftentimes ready to criticize the work of others. Many of us have failed to acknowledge our unworthiness and yet we are 100 percent ready to criticize the work of others. We should ask ourselves, are we worthy to criticize others? We could only criticize one, if we have already perfected it ourselves. I pity those who are unhappy of themselves and find joy at destroying others. Usually, we see these people in an academic community and not in poor and marginalized communities.
Lastly, the very simple common good. No one and nobody has ever defined these compound word properly for lack of experience. We have never experienced common good and are afraid of practicing it. We are always afraid of this for we have never fully understood justice and charity. If we are practicing justice and charity, then we are ready to accept the concept of common good.
As long as selfishness would always be present in the lives of man. He will always never be satisfied and never practice justice, charity and common good. Man has to grow up and allow things to go on naturally. We have only one life to live, live it to the fullest. Enjoy life and be glad of the achievements of others. We will all die someday and I am glad to say, I lived my life to the fullest.
Are you living yours, too?
(January 20, 2005 issue)
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