We Need Each Other
- Posted By: Francis Akinola
- Email: francis@framats.org
- Posted on: 31 May, 2021
One thing this pandemic has exposed more is the dare need we need of each other
There are just too few capacities in the church that allows for a greater and real togetherness. I continue to see these casual acquaintances which are not deep enough as to even invite the other person for a cup of tea in your home.
When something happens to us, we sometimes get upset with the Priests and say they are not there enough to commiserate. Are they supermen? They are dealing with over 1000 souls and you expect an A La Carte service every time you are bereft? My friend, lets buckle up, we need each other even more in this Post Pandemic age. We absolutely need more togetherness in our society, especially in the church.
God created everything and saw that “it was good” but one thing that Goodness found “not good” is for man (and woman) to live alone. I recognise that one can be alone and not be alone, and one can be with others and still be alone, but I am not competent to bet on the assumption of the former.
‘Suffer dey Africa’ – as one musician sang, but one thing you cannot take from Africa is the ebullience and togetherness which gives gusto to life. The community in Africa is not fake. Here, a little crisis and you find yourself ‘alone’, and you wonder what on earth you are doing here, money is not everything, we also need an authentic togetherness which makes life worthwhile.
Of course, within this togetherness, one may at times find all sorts of rancour, quarrels, backbiting, and even scandal, but as far as I can tell, the risks of these are better than finding yourself alone! Life and heaven are built through solidarity and relationship. Nothing exists outside relationship.
I also do recognise that without a right capacity, the responsibility of maintaining a relationship can be challenging, and time in an intrinsic factor of that capacity which we have to commit.
Back home in Nigeria, a main accusation from friends and families is that I don’t connect often. Sometimes, I’m tempted to being upset, how on earth can I keep up with continual connection, with a full-time work, family, business and everything that is structurally demanded of me, all in 24 hours!? But rather than argue to make my claim, I learnt to say sorry, maybe send a few quid over when I can and everyone is …. It does good when we can make up.
I’m sure here in SPAPTAN, we have had our fair share of rancour, I know I have. It’s better not to quarrel. But, when we quarrel, its better to make up, and when we make up, the entity becomes better off for it and even though the relationship may sometimes stagger, but I’ll rather be in a domain where there is a managed rancour than be an isolated entity filled with my achievements and successes. What a life, that would be, its actually death!
Dante wrote in Divine Comedy about getting to hell and seeing a being called Satan entirely oblivious of others but so full of himself, sitting alone and wrecking his havoc on every other person. You cannot be contented and stay aloof. Life is not built that way, death is. Apathy is not an option for a Christian.
My blessing at St Peter’s is the opportunity for connections which SPAPTAN has afforded me. My joy is meeting you. Let us make the most out of our friendship. Thanks.
