Sometimes, the most meaningful words come not from those who are closest to us, but from someone who has walked a very different path.
Recently, Archbishop Emeritus Antonio Ledesma of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro in the Philippines sent a letter to Lee Man-hee, chairman of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL). In his letter, Archbishop Ledesma expressed concern for Lee’s health and offered prayers for his strength, comfort, recovery, and well-being.
What caught my attention, however, was not simply the expression of concern for an elderly man. It was the reason Archbishop Ledesma gave for remembering him.
He recalled meeting Lee in 2013 and remembered him as someone who had devoted himself to the cause of peace. In particular, he referred to Lee’s activities in Mindanao, where religious tensions between Christian and Muslim communities had long been intertwined with social and political conflict.
For Archbishop Ledesma, what mattered was Lee’s effort to bring people from different religious backgrounds together.
He specifically remembered how Muslim and Catholic leaders were brought into dialogue and how Lee sought to encourage them to meet one another not as opponents, but as people who could share a common desire for peace.
This is an important point.
Religious differences are often discussed in terms of doctrine—what one believes, how one worships, and which traditions one follows. But peace begins somewhere else. It begins when people who disagree are still willing to sit at the same table.
The Mindanao peace efforts are remembered in this context. In January 2014, Catholic and Muslim leaders participated in a civilian-led peace initiative in which they expressed their commitment to preventing religion from becoming a source of conflict. Archbishop Ledesma has remained involved in interfaith peace activities connected with this work over the years.
Perhaps this is why his recent letter feels particularly meaningful.
Archbishop Ledesma did not describe Lee simply as the leader of another religious organization. Instead, he remembered a person he had personally encountered years ago and evaluated what he saw through the lens of peace.
He wrote that Lee’s efforts had deeply moved many people, including himself, because they represented a desire to overcome prejudice and differences and to pursue harmony among people.
I find something deeply human in that perspective.
We often judge people according to the groups to which they belong. Once someone becomes associated with a particular religion, organization, or controversy, it can become difficult to see the individual behind the label.
But Archbishop Ledesma’s letter reminded me that a person can be viewed from more than one angle.
One may agree or disagree with someone’s religious beliefs. One may have questions about an organization. Yet it is still possible to recognize an individual’s sincere efforts toward dialogue and peace.
That does not require blind agreement. It simply requires the ability to acknowledge what another person has tried to accomplish.
What touched me most was the closing sentiment of Archbishop Ledesma’s letter. He said that he continues to pray for Lee and for a positive resolution to the difficulties surrounding him. He also expressed his willingness to help if there is anything he can do for peace and justice.
For me, this is perhaps the most important message in the entire letter.
Peace is not only something discussed at international conferences. Sometimes it begins with one person choosing to remain compassionate toward another person—even when circumstances are difficult and opinions are divided.
As a physician, I naturally think about people first as human beings before anything else. And perhaps that is why this letter stayed with me.
A ninety-five-year-old man may be a religious leader, a public figure, or a controversial figure to different people. But before all those descriptions, he is still a human being whose health, dignity, and life matter.
Archbishop Ledesma’s message reminded me that peace is not merely the absence of conflict between nations or religions.
Sometimes, peace begins with the simple decision to see the person on the other side. And perhaps that is why his voice is worth hearing.
Source: https://vo.la/623KPEY
Peace is up to you :0 Good luck!
