TR2

Experience

Last Saturday, September 15, 2007 I joined for the 4th time the household gathering of a newly organized group of neighborhood for a BEC selda. The Makalipang session was facilitated by a selda alagad of another selda since the members are not yet very familiar with the method. I noticed that there are new faces and most of those who attended during the previous sessions were not present. I told them about this and they told me that most of those far from that house did not come. In another conversation prior to the Makalipang, they were talking about the Dawn Rosary movement which has stopped in moving the image of the Blessed Virgin from one house to another. I perceived that they treat the Makalipang similar to that of the Dawn Rosary in which only the persons in-charge come to each house and most of the neighbors do not.

Social Analysis

The situation of the irregularity of attendance in the Makalipang would be ascribed to the inconvenience of the time schedule. If this is the reason, then the people have to set priorities and usually or more reasonably they have to prioritize their household chores and the like. But if only they have understood the visions of organizing BECs, they can voluntarily put other things aside. On the other hand, they still have that mentality of equating the BEC Makalipang with that of popular devotions which do not stress the dream of building a true ecclesial community.

Theological Reflection

That experience moved me to reflect about the importance of a community. We have already emphasized the paraliturgical activity and the smallness BECs that it is composed by a small number of household. But sometimes we took for granted the importance its being a community in which we experience our growth in Christian life. This notion is in contrast to that of an individualistic approach. In the community, faith is nourished just like the early Christians who “devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers (Acts 1:42).” Furthermore, I believe that the Spirit draws every person towards this community. The Spirit shapes the Church as a community of witnesses who, through his power, bear testimony to Jesus the Saviour (Ecclesia in Asia, 17).

Pastoral Action
I order to cast out misconceptions about BEC, I am planning give further input next time when I will be with them. Eventhough how little I can do to help, I have to encourage them to live as a Christian community in the proper sense of the word.