Intersubjective Need

 I'm a spoiled brat who wails about what I lack in life, but can't see that more people are in a more dire situation than I do. I'm thankful for the documentaries of GMA network which opens my eyes that I don't need anything, and I'm not poor like my other kababayan.

It's not that I need to compare myself to others to see my better situation. It's my need to see that I am lavishing in excess already and need to help my needy fellow Filipinos. It seems when I watch and understand their situation I can't help but muster my excess time, talent, and treasure that I don't actually need more than they need it. It seems a hundred pesos of alleviating even just for a day their every day privation is almost already a big thing. What more if I have the power to help them have sufficiency even in one aspect of their poverty. But that's not actually the point. It seems I have these comfort in life just for nothing that I still complain to God what I still don't have, and easily gives up when trials come my way.

Naiintindihan nyo ba ako? Mainam na makita natin ang paghihirap ng ating kapwa marahil upang magsumikap tayo na wag balewalain lamang ang mga ibinibigay ng Diyos sa atin at di natin pinagyayaman. Na sawa na tayo sa ganitong blessings lamang at gusto natin ay yung matagal na nating hinihiling. Pero may blessings at nakita mo nga na napakarami mong blessings kumpara sa ibang mga taong halos di na makaahon sa hirap na binabata nila araw-araw. Kung katulad nga ako ng sinasabi ng Panginoon na binigyan ng isang kusing at ibinaon lang iyon sa lupa, aba ay kailangan ko nang magnilay kung ano na nga ba ang tinubo ng mga talentong ibinigay ng Dyos sa akin. (Matthew 25:14-30) Pinasalamatan mo ang Diyos, pero kung wala kang gagawin sa mga binigay niya sa iyo ay balewala ang pasasalamat. Maaari nga na iyan ang meron ka at susi upang umunlad sa buhay di lamang sa aspetong pinansiyal kundi sa lahat ng aspeto ng buhay. Manalangin nga tayo na makita natin ang ating kapabayaan at nabalewala lamang ang mga ibinigay na talento ng Diyos. Humingi ng tawad sa Diyos at patuloy na magsumikap sa buhay.

Maganda sa kalooban kapag nakakatulong ka sa kapwa mo na hirap sa buhay. Actually, kaya ka nakararanas ng magandang kalooban ay dahil yung pagtulong mo ay alam mong nakapagpaluwag kahit papaano ng kanilang binabatang krus sa buhay. Nakatulong objectively kaya subjectively parang gumaan din ang pakiramdam mo. It's as if I'm hurting myself or my loved one when others are hurt or suffering, and alleviated myself even just one individual has been alleviated. But sometimes wanting to solve world poverty or suffering becomes the problem.

Absolutizing any philosophy is indeed our tendency. It's as if we want to remove the cross of this life. Communism wants to control the masses who are sinful and then create an equality where there is no more poverty they believe is the source of suffering of life. Classicist like me have a tendency to question God why he still created this imperfect suffering sinful world. How about pragmatists? Well Bishop Fulton Sheen is an American and explains below that too much tolerance is the problem in contrast with the communist's too much control.

In A Plea for Intolerance, in this speech, Fulton Sheen argues that America is suffering not from intolerance, but from excessive tolerance—particularly tolerance of moral relativism. He critiques the tendency to accept all viewpoints as equally valid, warning that this leads to a loss of truth and virtue. Sheen emphasizes that true tolerance should not mean accepting falsehoods or compromising moral principles. He uses sharp wit and strong rhetoric to challenge the idea that broad-mindedness should come at the expense of moral clarity.

Now, onto The Meaning of the Cross. Sheen presents the cross as both an absurdity and a fulfillment, explaining that it represents the autobiography of every human being. He draws from the Old Testament story of Moses and the brass serpent, showing how Christ's crucifixion fulfills this ancient symbol. Sheen argues that suffering is not meaningless but transformative, helping individuals grow spiritually. He describes sin as hurting someone we love and connects this idea to the symbolism of the crucifixion.-Copilot Quick response, 14 May 2025.

It is told that my question why God still created this sinful and suffering world, cannot be explained away completely by anything , since the answer lacks logical proof, the proof of God is missing. This world is not yet heaven. And so we are told to look at the crucified Christ as the only mysterious easy answer to the question of suffering. 

It’s no wonder that St. Therese is considered the greatest saint of modern times, as she teaches that small acts of kindness are very beautiful in the eyes of God. That evil and suffering can be antidoted by that single small act of goodness, and justifies what God has told 

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. -Genesis 1:31

« Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter »