Fostering brotherhood within the Community

Fray Genesis P. Labana, OSA

One aspect in seminary formation that needs to be developed is the sense of brotherhood or fraternity. Unlike the conventional definition of a fraternity which is always associated to being a gangster, Augustinian spirit of brotherhood is very much different. Most of the youth today join groups like this because they want to feel the love theyve been looking for since its missing within their family circle. Eventually, some are lead astray as they go along with the demands of the brotherhood which are sometimes harsh and painful. Within that kind of brotherhood they are chained by bond that when a brother is hurt they will immediate retaliate. Why do they retaliate? It is because they recognized the need of their brother. They know who is weak in their group and on their very best they do everything to protect and help their brother. My point here is that within their group they know the weakness of their fellow. They may have just interpreted the other meaning of brotherhood, but have the spirit of the importance of brotherhood. In a deeper understanding of a brotherhood, the Augustinian community gives us what a real brotherhood means within a community. Being a member of this community one first needs to recognize the basic need of brother. One way is recognizing the gifts of the person in the community. Recognition acts like a battery since it shows support that a person exists. Thats why when someone does not receive recognition within the community, he looks for it outside. Just like what Ive written above, like a family the person searches recognition outside the family circle because they dont recognize him. As one of the principles of personalization and of community under the philosophical aspects says that, Attention to self is the starting point for the Augustinian way of life. We mean here that before we can recognize a brother we must meet the attention needed by our self. Before going to the external one must first start with the internal attention as much as the process is concern. Thus, this principle of interior life serves to safeguard what Augustine learned from his monastic experience:

respect for the individual. This is where recognition enters in the scene of community life. It is then a personal call for me to response to this demand of community life. But an experience seems to bother me as I was reflecting upon this aspect of community life. There are other members in the community who think that they are useless because they dont have skills and talents. The community is pressuring them to engage and develop skills in order to be recognized. Its hard for me since the problem lies on them. Noticeable talents are easily acknowledged and appreciated because they share it to the community. How about those who are still hiding on their comfort zones? It is also my responsibility as a brother to give them attention and encouragement. In the seminary, I am learning to develop that spirit of brotherhood. At the beginning, its hard to practice it since I was brought to an environment, where competition is always the factor on taking the attention of a person. When I was in elementary I had not been recognized as a studious and intelligent child but when I got focused in high school I became a honor student for quite some time and my parents and the people around me seem to have recognized my capacity to improve and develop my gifts. Based from this experience this has been the society Ive been living. Recognition must be earned and not easily given. Thats why whenever I see somebody who has excelled and outdone my skill, I would treat him as a competitor. I will just be silent on a corner and dare not to say a word to him. My mind seems to stop my mouth from speaking positive words of appreciation because I developed envy in my personality. May be this is the reason why I cant easily say words of kindness towards somebody. However, in the reality of community life, if this would always be my attitude I will not survive. My journey must have had ended five years ago. But, the seminary has taught me how to deal with my childhood hang-up. And at the same time, may be without the grace of God, I wouldnt be keeping on travelling in this wonderful journey of life and brotherhood.