Lenten Reflection: Live and Let Live
24 Mar 2025 | Office for Mission and Identity (OMI)
There are times when the ‘live and let live’ principle is helpful – when we don’t want to meddle in and overstep on other people’s affairs, if tolerance or broadmindedness is needed, or if our intervention can cause more harm than good. We just have to be careful not to use this as a reason to be uncaring or uninvolved even when the situation calls for us to participate and make things better. For to live and let live can sometimes mean that we exercise and use our life so that others can live theirs well and be greater because of our presence. It may be an unusual way of interpreting this philosophy but it is not less true or necessary.
In a way, we can interpret God’s ways as having moved in this unusual sense. By His life and its abundance in love, He breathed life into us upon creation. Because Jesus lived and walked on this very earth where we are, He let us live instead of leaving us to languish and perish. And as the Spirit continues to live and dwell in us, life continues to be marked by hope, miracles and light. Thankfully, the Lord is present and alive and so we are given the chance to live and know love.
There is never a lack of principles and philosophies that can guide us. Ultimately, though, may we look to those that are life-giving and life-enhancing. And, of course, we can never just consider our own existence for who and what we are would always be connected with how others are. This is logic and perhaps more important than that, it is meaning. Even the Father is not solitary for He shares His essence with the Son and Spirit. Love builds all of us in that way and renders us most meaningful that way. And so with your life and presence, how have you let others live theirs better?
May mga pagkakataong nakakatulong ang prinsipyo ng ‘live and let live’ – kapag ayaw nating makialam at manghimasok sa nangyayari sa iba, kung kinakailangan ang pagpaparaya at pagpapalawak ng isip upang hindi manghusga, o kung ang pakikilahok natin ay magdudulot ng higit na pinsala kaysa kabutihan. Nararapat lamang nating pag-ingatan na hindi ito gamiting dahilan upang hindi magmalasakit o hindi makisangkot kahit pa kinakailangan na o mas makakainam ito. Sapagkat maaaring ang kahulugan ng live and let live ay ang mabuhay tayo at gamitin natin itong ating buhay upang makatulong na mamuhay nang mas maayos at dakila ang kapwa dahil sa ating presensya. Marahil hindi ito karaniwang paraan ng pagtingin sa pilosopiyang iyan subalit hindi rin ito kulang sa pagiging totoo o pagkakaroon ng katuturan.
Sa isang banda, maaari nating unawain ang mga pamamaraan ng Diyos sa ganyang hindi karaniwang kahulugan. Sa Kanyang buhay at sa pag-uumapaw nito sa pag-ibig, binigyang-buhay Niya tayo at nilikha. Sapagkat nabuhay at umiral si Hesus dito mismo sa ating mundo, kung kaya napagkalooban tayo ng bagong buhay sa halip na mamanglaw at maparam. At dahil patuloy na nabubuhay at umiinog ang Espiritu sa atin, kung kaya may buhay tayong nagtataglay ng pag-asa, mga himala at liwanag. Mabuti na lamang nariyan at buhay ang Panginoon kung kaya napagkakalooban tayo ng pagkakataong mabuhay at makaranas ng pagmamahal.
Hindi tayo magkukulang sa mga prinsipyo at pilosopiyang maaaring gumabay sa atin. Sa huli, nawa piliin natin iyong mga nagbibigay-buhay at lumilinang sa ating buhay. At hindi rin natin maaaring isaalang-alang lamang ang ating sariling pag-iral sapagkat kung sino o ano tayo ay laging nakaugnay sa kapwa. Makatwiran ito ngunit marahil higit na mahalaga na makabuluhan ito. Maging ang Ama ay hindi nag-iisa sapagkat kabahagi Niya ang Anak at ang Espiritu. Ganoon tayo tinataguyod ng pag-ibig at ganoon tayo pinapadakila nito. Kung kaya sa iyong buhay at presensya, paano mo naidudulot na maging mas mabuti ang buhay ng kapwa?
#ateneoishome #aihlentenreflections
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