WE need to be careful not to restrict
the relevance of
maintenance to health reasons. The duty of maintenance has a much
wider applicability in our life than is usually known or admitted. In
fact, it’s a lifelong responsibility.
We have to say this, because somehow it has become a term
associated only with the oldies, and even with some young ones, who
have some medical conditions—hypertension, diabetes, etc. This is a
very unfair, partial and dangerous understanding of maintenance.
For example, maintenance is indispensable in the proper
running of an entity or institution. How many times have we heard—and
have been disappointed—that a certain project that had a brilliant
beginning folded up precisely because of lack of maintenance?
This example can be multiplied endless times. Roads,
bridges, buildings are rotting away because of lack of maintenance. A
business enterprise gets bankrupt, again because of negligence. Public
services are found wanting also because of lack of good governance.
Even religious institutions are not spared. Some are
fading away, their original charism weakened, because of lack of
fidelity of the members. They have detached themselves from the source
of their life, purpose and direction.
It’s important that we cultivate a strong, clearly
articulated culture of maintenance and governance, continuity and
fidelity, so that we don’t waste what we already have. In fact, we
have to make use of them, cultivating them in an organic way, in our
pursuit for progress and development.
We have to understand that this culture of maintenance is
an expression of our cooperation in God’s abiding providence over us
and everything that happens in the world.
Divine providence, which is God’s governance over his
creation, always requires our active cooperation. It never means we
can be passive about things. God governs through us, who are his image
and likeness, children of his who participate in his very own life and
work.
And so, we have to realize that this culture’s real
foundation can ultimately be in the area of religion, in our relation
with God. It cannot simply be anchored on purely human
reasons—personal, social, economic, political, etc.
While these human reasons are unavoidable, we have to
understand that they cannot stand on their own without being rooted on
a deeper foundation, which can only be God.
All this concern about maintenance, governance,
administration, continuity and fidelity need the animating principle
of God, the beginning and end of all things, the Creator, the eternal
being who is also a father to us who never lets us down.
We have to be wary of a secular, worldly view about what
can motivate and keep us in the duty of maintenance. It can have very
many convincing arguments, but the moment it sets God aside, giving
him, at best, only a decorative role, we would be in the wrong track.
When a genuine living relation with God is achieved, our
awareness of our duty of maintenance, continuity and fidelity acquires
its most fundamental and reliable source and lifeblood.
It makes us keenly aware of the many aspects and
requirements of this duty, capable of making long-term plans and
strategies as well as flexible enough to cope with changing and
unexpected circumstances. It tries its best to avoid a short-sighted
vision of things and other stop-gap measures and knee-jerk reactions.
In short, we would be doing all the tasks of maintenance
out of pure love for God and for souls. The virtue of prudence will be
lived to the hilt.
The duty of maintenance then becomes an exciting
adventure, with all the possible situations that can happen. But
there’s confidence and sense of security among those involved.
With that love, we would be willing to go all the way, not
afraid of sacrifices to be made, effort and expenses to be spent, etc.
If corrections are needed, then they are done, irrespective of who
gets hurt.
The problem is that many of us still find it corny to put
God and love in this equation. We prefer to remain in the humanly
advantageous level—what is profitable, practical, popular, etc. This
only shows lack of faith, or a faith not well digested and
assimilated.
With this attitude, we immediately narrow and impoverish
our idea of maintenance and governance. And sooner or later, we get
what we deserve—troubles, failures, disappointments, termination, etc.
It’s important that we cultivate and spread this culture
of maintenance far and wide. Its rudiments can be done in the
families, in schools, churches. Then it can radiate its influence in
our neighborhood, our cities and the government.
maintenance to health reasons. The duty of maintenance has a much
wider applicability in our life than is usually known or admitted. In
fact, it’s a lifelong responsibility.
We have to say this, because somehow it has become a term
associated only with the oldies, and even with some young ones, who
have some medical conditions—hypertension, diabetes, etc. This is a
very unfair, partial and dangerous understanding of maintenance.
For example, maintenance is indispensable in the proper
running of an entity or institution. How many times have we heard—and
have been disappointed—that a certain project that had a brilliant
beginning folded up precisely because of lack of maintenance?
This example can be multiplied endless times. Roads,
bridges, buildings are rotting away because of lack of maintenance. A
business enterprise gets bankrupt, again because of negligence. Public
services are found wanting also because of lack of good governance.
Even religious institutions are not spared. Some are
fading away, their original charism weakened, because of lack of
fidelity of the members. They have detached themselves from the source
of their life, purpose and direction.
It’s important that we cultivate a strong, clearly
articulated culture of maintenance and governance, continuity and
fidelity, so that we don’t waste what we already have. In fact, we
have to make use of them, cultivating them in an organic way, in our
pursuit for progress and development.
We have to understand that this culture of maintenance is
an expression of our cooperation in God’s abiding providence over us
and everything that happens in the world.
Divine providence, which is God’s governance over his
creation, always requires our active cooperation. It never means we
can be passive about things. God governs through us, who are his image
and likeness, children of his who participate in his very own life and
work.
And so, we have to realize that this culture’s real
foundation can ultimately be in the area of religion, in our relation
with God. It cannot simply be anchored on purely human
reasons—personal, social, economic, political, etc.
While these human reasons are unavoidable, we have to
understand that they cannot stand on their own without being rooted on
a deeper foundation, which can only be God.
All this concern about maintenance, governance,
administration, continuity and fidelity need the animating principle
of God, the beginning and end of all things, the Creator, the eternal
being who is also a father to us who never lets us down.
We have to be wary of a secular, worldly view about what
can motivate and keep us in the duty of maintenance. It can have very
many convincing arguments, but the moment it sets God aside, giving
him, at best, only a decorative role, we would be in the wrong track.
When a genuine living relation with God is achieved, our
awareness of our duty of maintenance, continuity and fidelity acquires
its most fundamental and reliable source and lifeblood.
It makes us keenly aware of the many aspects and
requirements of this duty, capable of making long-term plans and
strategies as well as flexible enough to cope with changing and
unexpected circumstances. It tries its best to avoid a short-sighted
vision of things and other stop-gap measures and knee-jerk reactions.
In short, we would be doing all the tasks of maintenance
out of pure love for God and for souls. The virtue of prudence will be
lived to the hilt.
The duty of maintenance then becomes an exciting
adventure, with all the possible situations that can happen. But
there’s confidence and sense of security among those involved.
With that love, we would be willing to go all the way, not
afraid of sacrifices to be made, effort and expenses to be spent, etc.
If corrections are needed, then they are done, irrespective of who
gets hurt.
The problem is that many of us still find it corny to put
God and love in this equation. We prefer to remain in the humanly
advantageous level—what is profitable, practical, popular, etc. This
only shows lack of faith, or a faith not well digested and
assimilated.
With this attitude, we immediately narrow and impoverish
our idea of maintenance and governance. And sooner or later, we get
what we deserve—troubles, failures, disappointments, termination, etc.
It’s important that we cultivate and spread this culture
of maintenance far and wide. Its rudiments can be done in the
families, in schools, churches. Then it can radiate its influence in
our neighborhood, our cities and the government.
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