THAT’S what we are reminded of in that gospel parable about a man who embarked on a journey and entrusted all his possessions to his 3 servants, giving them different amounts of talents. (cfr. Mt 25,14-30) When the man returned from the journey, he asked for an accounting of what he gave them. And we know how that parable ended.
In our life, we should try to develop a keen sense of management and accountability over all the things God has entrusted us with. Obviously, this will require first of all that we are clear and strong about our Christian faith so we would know what our life here on earth is all about.
We cannot deny that even among Christians, many do not exactly know what the ultimate purpose of our life here on earth is. They take things for granted, or they just allow themselves to drift to wherever life’s many currents and forces would bring them.
We should realize very deeply that God’s first mandate to men, through our first parents, was: “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living things that moves upon the earth.” (Gen 1,28)
In other words, everything that we do here on earth should be in obedience to this original mandate from God in whose image and likeness we have been created. There should be nothing that we do in this life that is not in keeping with obeying this original commandment from our Creator.
We cannot say that what we are doing is purely a personal project of ours, or that it is just matter between our family and us, between our bosses and us, etc. Everything that we do should first of all be a matter between God and us.
And so, we need to manage well what God has given us, such that we follow as best that we could what he has commanded us. Thus, we need to expand and deepen our sense of management and accountability to cover not only our businesses and other earthly concerns, but also and first of all our spiritual life.
We should be accountable not only to ourselves, to our family and to some other earthly superiors, bosses and authorities, but also and most especially to God. After all, he is the original and ultimate boss, our common father and creator of all.
And, of course, the parameters and standards to be used should not just be the temporal and worldly, but rather the spiritual, moral and supernatural. We need to educate ourselves in this sense of management and accountability proper to us.
We even have to account for the words we speak, as attested in this passage of St. Matthew’s gospel: “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (12,36-37)
St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans also said that “each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (14,12) And in his second letter to the Corinthians, he said: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” (5,10)
Laguiwan
The above title depicts the tale of the people whose narrative is such that, in the most dramatic moments of their lives, escaping from untoward circumstances has characterized their collective experience and consciousness. Here is how their tale unfolded:
In a certain place of Burauen, Leyte, a group of people with their families lived harmoniously and prosperously, vibrant with their peculiar culture and lifeways. They were experts at making handicrafts and other items which they used to facilitate and expedite their tasks. They effectively utilized items such as tibud, kawayan, and many more, enjoying the richness of their culture and native delicacies like bukayo, kurukod, bibingka, linupak, etc.
Amid their peaceful existence with nature, friends, and loved ones, their daily chores and livelihoods were disrupted one day when war broke out between two warring forces that were hostile to each other. Caught in the crossfire, the people found themselves under risky conditions. And so, fearing for their lives, they sought ways to remedy their situation as the war had not just made them vulnerable; their place became a warzone, and they were eventually dislodged from that land, frantically heading nowhere.
In their desperate desire to escape, they prayed to the object of their faith, then—the image of the Immaculate Concepcion. Of course, they prayed to the Supreme Being above all as they needed divine interventions from on high for them to survive and preserve their ethnic ancestry before war would annihilate them to oblivion.
As they awaited their fate, a huge eagle emerged from somewhere and came into full view. The elders then interpreted the sight of the majestic bird as the answer to their prayers. They followed the eagle underneath, making sure they didn’t lose sight of it. The big bird led their way slowly until they came upon a spot that was carefully nestled in between hills alternating with plains. The beautiful place looked perfect for evacuation ends, as a place of refuge, being guarded securely by nearby mountains.
They then settled in that area, built their houses, and made a living by farming, hunting, and harvesting nature’s yield. People from other places who experienced the same plight as they did likewise found safety in that spot so, gradually, the population increased as it became a place of refuge to the dispossessed. Thus, their village became known as Kalaguiwan, or Laguiwan for short, since it became a haven for those who sought safety from various dangers.
The term lagiwan is derived from the Waray word kalaguiw (old spelling for kalagiw), which means escape, in English. Pagkalagiw means to escape; lagiwan refers to the people who escape, and kalagiwan is the area where they escaped to, for hiding and safety. It is still there now, bearing the same name, and inhabited by village people.