BY HERMAN M. LAGON
VOLUNTEERS with a strong tech background who tutor senior citizens in smartphone use and e-government services can help close the digital divide. In a world going digital, this project promotes participation and inclusivity. Ensure communities thrive despite challenges through proactive preparedness. Conduct drills and education sessions on disaster preparedness, fostering a culture of readiness. Mobile legal aid clinics offering free consultations and services in underserved areas ensure that justice is accessible to all. This initiative ensures everyone has access to legal resources and support.
Living out Magis is not limited to grand gestures. It can be as simple as performing daily acts of kindness with greater intention and depth. Giving spare change to a person in need, engaging with them, understanding their story, and directing them to helpful resources elevates everyday acts of kindness to create a lasting impact.
In our professional lives, Magis means constantly seeking to improve ourselves to serve others better. This might involve learning new skills, pursuing further education, or adopting healthier practices that enhance our efficacy. Taking a proactive role in addressing community issues, volunteering for projects, and advocating for social justice are all ways to contribute positively to societal development.
Magis is not just about doing more; sometimes, it is about doing less but with more focus and alignment with our purpose. This approach helps avoid overcommitment and burnout, ensuring that our endeavors are personally satisfying and service-oriented. Balancing ambition with humility, staying grounded, and focusing on meaningful actions is vital for sustainable service.
In our pursuit of service, JCI and Rotary — the same with Lions, Zonta, Kiwanis, Toastmasters, Habitat for Humanity, Red Cross, Knights of Columbus, Gawad Kalinga, and the Masons — walk parallel paths, driven by a commitment to economic justice, the brotherhood and sisterhood of people, the and the belief that service to humanity is our most noble cause. Service is the oxygen we breathe, forming a global network of efforts contributing to positive change worldwide.
Ignatian values are universal and ever-relevant, no matter your religious, political, or ideological persuasions. They guide us to live lives of service and significance, striving to do and be more for the greater good. Embracing these values calls us “men and women for and with others,” serving with love, communicating with wisdom, and living with depth.
As we embark on this life’s journey of service in whatever expression, organization, or platform we have, I invite you to embrace the humility to serve, the courage to lead, and the wisdom to see the divine in every act of kindness. Guided by St. Ignatius of Loyola’s call to “set the world on fire,” let us strive to do more, be more, and achieve greater things for the greater good.
As I put it, a Jaycee, a Rotarian, an Atenean, and many others who share the same core for selfless service are people for and with others, allergic to mediocrity, and selfless advocates for social justice. Whatever we do, no matter what our status in life is, let us go forth, inspired and uplifted, to serve our community and each other with faith, love, justice, and magis.
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Doc H fondly describes himself as a ‘student of and for life’ who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with./PN
