The Couples’s Amazing Life of Service

In a world that is buried in unbridled materialism and consumerism that is giving so much veneration to the profit motive that has already captured the mindset of all governments, all institutions, all universities and even of religious groups, there is no greater grandeur sight on earth than a compassionate couple, fired with a great purpose, dominated by one unwavering aim – to serve the people especially the poor and the oppressed, to protect their health and the environment and for the will of God to prevail in their lives.

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SHAMMAH SUNGA - C ota B ato C ity - 0967-219-4261 deplorable and dangerous place. Not many do this. Most are always after material things. Very few choose the life we call sublime. We made difficult choices that makes it amazing.”

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That is the amazing life of loving service of Dr. Jesus Guiab who married Atty. Remedios Galutera when they were in their twenties, then in the early sixties, decided to leave Nueva Vizcaya to practice to help a deplorable place and poor people in the far-flung area of Mindanao in Wao Lanao del Sur. Two young amazing professional, a charismatic good-looking medical doctor and a beautiful brilliant lawyer, the daughter of a bar topnotcher, opting to serve a deplorable town. As categorically stated by Dr. Guiab himself, “ We made choices that make our lives amazing – not choosing lives of wealth and comfort instead we chose like of difficulties and sufferings in a

It is biblically mentioned in the Ecclesiastes that “for everything there is a purpose under heaven. Why must Dr. Guiab who could have easily have wealth, fame and power opted to serve the least of his brethren in the troubled municipalities of Lanao del Sur? Well, now we know that when Dr. Guiab put his amazing life in the hands of God, he did go to a transcendental dimension where the Universal Intelligence governs. What happened on February 12, 1973 could attest to this. On that early morning, a group of Christians came to his house to tell him that there was an on-going shooting between Christians and Muslims. In his pajamas, he rode his jeep, went to see if it is true of that exchange of gunshots between the Christians and Muslims. The first he saw were deployed Christians firing their guns at the house of Sultan Mamaco who was considered the “Father of Wao,” then he heard the gunshots coming from the house of the Sultan. He shouted to the Christians to stop firing their guns, they stopped. Before entering

Let’s learn to be always forgiving

That’s a clear mark of a true Christian. Christ has told us clearly: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Lk 6,36) There are no ifs and buts in these words. In fact, Christ continued to say: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you… For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (37-38)

Christ was and continues to be always merciful. How?

Well, first of all, being the son of God, he emptied himself to become man. That way, he already adapted himself to our wounded, sinful condition. He identified himself with us so that we would have a way to identify ourselves with him. He preached the truth about God and about ourselves.

He gave preferential attention to the sick, that is, the sinners. He was always ready to forgive, his mercy and compassion having no limits—“not only seven times, but seventy times seven times.” (Mt 18,22) He taught about loving the the place of the Sultan, he asked them to stop firing their guns, afraid they might shoot him. They stopped. He was met by some Maranaos who told him the Sultan is wounded. He got the Sultan to his jeep and brought him to the hospital. As attested by those who witnessed the incidence, “Kung hindi dumating si Dr. Guiab, patay na sana si Sultan Mamaco. The good doctor saved his life.”

Don’t you know that the death of Sultan Mamaco could have triggered to an all out attack of Wao coming from hundreds of armed men from the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Cotabato to avenge the death of the revered Sultan Mamaco. This could have led thousands of Christians killed and Wao could no longer be a place where Christians could stay. Well, glaringly, God has made Dr. Jesus Guiab an instrument for peace. Wow, so amazing!

As to the amazing life of service of Atty. Remedios enemy and lived it. He did not mind all the insults and mockeries that were poured on him just to accomplish his mission of saving us.

Even while hanging on the cross, he offered forgiveness to those who crucified him. And in the end, he assumed all our sins without committing sin by dying on the cross. In that way, he dealt death to all our sins, and with his resurrection he offered us a way for our own salvation and reconciliation with our Father God. He was thoroughly magnanimous. Yes, mercy is a clear mark of magnanimity.

We need to train our faculties --our intelligence, will, emotions, passions, memory, urges, appetites-to have this spirit of Christ of being merciful always.

For this, of course, we need time, effort and a certain discipline to acquire this indispensable quality of a true Christian life.

Especially when we become a victim of some offense by someone, we really have to learn to forgive and to move on, focused on doing what we are sup - posed to do. We should avoid getting stuck with the offense, wallowing in anguish, complaints and hatred, and keeping resentments, grudges and desires for revenge. That’s why we need to deny ourselves, and carry Christ’s cross as Christ himself told us, to be able to do this.

Let’s remember that all of us have sins that need to be forgiven also. And as Christ said it clearly, we can only be forgiven if we also forgive others. “If you will forgive men their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offenses,” he said. “But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offenses.” (Mt 6,14-15)

Other relevant gospel passages are the following:

“Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” (Mk 11,25)