Let us be partners

Binhi sang Pagtuo

July 27, 2009

Dear Centralians and Friends,

Greetings from the Chaplain’s Office!

We praise and thank God for the Christ Emphasis Week celebration last week. The event was culminated by a CEW thanksgiving during the 96th Foundation Day celebration of the University last Sunday. There were 1,049 students that made faith decisions. We are grateful to the team brought my Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Ayala of the Agape Phil-Am Ministries. Please continue to be our partners in bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to the more than 11,500 students, and more than 700 faculty and staff.

Our scripture text for this week is found in Philippians 1:3-6. This is the letter of Paul to the Christians in Philippi, the first city in Europe reached by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul reminded them of their partnership in proclaiming the gospel. Paul also gave them hope that Jesus Christ will be with them in their new journey as Christians.

Paul is reminding us of two things in our partnership:

First, we need to pray for one another. Paul prayed for the members of the churches that he established. Prayer has become their spiritual communication.

Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. We famously call the prayer as “Our Father.” The bottom line of this prayer is about asking the will of God. Jesus prayed “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

The theological principle is this: The will of God is good. Therefore, our will should be connected to the will of God. After we know the will of God, we should do the will of God, thus, resulting to goodwill among people. (Angut naton ang aton buot sa buot sang Dios agod mangin mabuot kita kag may yara sang maayong kabubut-on sa palibot).

Second point is, for our partnership to succeed we need a third party. This should be a tripartite partnership. This third party is, of course, God.

Eccl 4:12 says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

Dr. Anatalio Viray once told me how Dr. Rex Drilon, the first Filipino president of CPU contributed to the design of the University Church. The design is that of a Malay balangay (barangay) boat. You can see the bugsay (paddles) on both sides. It teaches us that if we are united in our bugsay, in one direction, we will go forward.

In closing, Paul is reminding us that we must pray for one another, and that God should be the third part in our partnership because he will be faithful to bring into completion the good work that he has started in you. Amen.

May God continually bless us!

Sincerely yours,

Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Assistant Chaplain