Tuesday 16 April 2024
When will we ever hear the storm again?
Monday 8 April 2024
"The folk has the right for the fire to stir"
Sunday 31 March 2024
"As Easter begins"
Regardless of “actions”, crisis and oppression breeds resistance
Regardless of “actions”, crisis and oppression breeds resistance
by Kat Ulrike
At first, this note extends greetings this Easter Sunday, for like the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, this note expresses that despite numerous challenges and hindrances, that the nation's struggle for independence and democracy is greater with full of hopes amid continuing socioeconomic crisis, oppression against the folk, and threats to national sovereignty.
Easter is the occasion when people wished for a lasting peace as to honour its fallen dead. When remembering those who died, or imprisoned because of a belief, heir contributions, sacrifices, are driven by the desire to fulfill hopes, of making the future generation shall have peace in their homes and communities.
On this, this note remember all of those who have given their lives in the cause of national and social liberation. This note salutes the courage and fortitude of those who have died in this phase of a historic struggle, and thus remember them with honour and pride.
This note reaffirm the belief that the current government continues to downplay the people's desire for peace based on justice, the denial of a nation's right to self-determination, and the maintenance of social and economic inequality as the root causes of conflict.
By refusing to continue the stalled negotiations, the current administration seems to be stubborn in pursuing an offensive that involves bombing of communities, harassing and arresting peace negotiators, to that of involuntary disappearances. These actions, whose basis is “to end decades-old insurgency”, intensifies popular resistance as the current administration continues to be in connivance with entrenched local and foreign interests in exploiting the country and its people. With the support of imperialists, attempts to undermine people’s struggles to the extent of seeking to criminalise dissent has shown remain the order fixated with the objective of “destroying subversion” rather than developing the peace process.
But regardless of their messages justifying their operations, its actions made clear that the responsibility for the ongoing conflict rests firmly on the shoulders of the ruling class through its government. The rejection of the people’s desire for lasting peace in favour of the order’s deafening silence shows that the ruling class wanted a condition that rather intensifies exploitation to maintain and consolidate further interests. Of course that deafening silence is redescribed as the “absence of war”, but, is that absence of conflict is based on justice? Of answering the cry of the poor and the oppressed? That “peace” of the order benefits the exploiters as they talked it through threat and coercion.
This note requires no lengthy speech. However, the order does not present the necessity for a just and durable peace to a group of like-minded despots and tyrants. That "peace" they've wanted is a fiction, as the vast majority of peasants, workers, and other toiling people continue to face land grabbing, economic dispossession, poor wages, unemployment, and other kinds of terrible social injustice, making the fight even more just and necessary. And contrary to their statements trying to "win the peace", the present US-Marcos regime has aggravated the situation of the people by serving the interests of foreign capitalists, as that of local economic and political despots to the detriment of the Filipino people’s welfare and rights. "Programs" meant to appease the folk doesn't resolve the problem, but instead to placate the interest-seekers.
To cut this thought short, the desire for peace means to address the people's desire for justice. The prisons or graves may be filled with those whose reasons as just, but an ever prevailing crisis which trying to be hidden cannot remain hidden at all as it breeds resistance- for regardless of the reprisals from state elements this doesn't stop the people from ever concerning hard issues the order fails to address, downplays, or outright denies; what more the willingness to resist in order for the nation to exist.
Saturday 30 March 2024
"Christ is Risen! Let the world Rejoice!"
"Christ is Risen! Let the world Rejoice!"
Warm Greetings.
At first, this note resounds the following message: that Christ has risen; let us also rise; let us maintain His triumph over death and partake in His joy.
This message reminds the reader that with his resurrection, those who witnessed comes an expression of amazement, of a renewed faith as the tomb of Jesus Christ, once sealed with a great stone been rolled out, what more encountering a resurrected being, face to face, and touching the pieced hands, feet and side.
And in his resurrection means hope, as Jesus Christ is risen, that shows he alone has the power to remove the obstacles that block path to life. He faced death yes, as he was crucified, sacrificing his life to absolve the world from sin and misery and was buried- only to rise again on the third day.
In this note would ask why should the world not fill hearts with hope and joy as Christ rose from the dead? A victory of Life over Death? He is the Christ! He is the Emmanuel that says "God is with Us" and therefore he lives among the people yearning for salvation. His love showeth the redemptive goodness of God that the world needs in this present time. Through his resurrection, the world can now experience life beneath death, glory in the midst of suffering, strength from weakness, and victory despite the agony of defeat.
Folk! As the world face various obstacles, of "stones" that blocked the path, looking back at Christ and sharing God's gladness means keeping the promise that "He is with Us" and by His resurrection means giving people life that's eternal. Only the risen Lord who granted each and everyone the forgiveness of sins, for without this, such "stones" that blocked that path cannot be removed.
In all honesty, this note would state that everyone is still struggling as humanity attempts to combat evil. Yet, that same humanity has experienced pain during the fight, which affected the body, mind, and soul, and thus humanity looked back at Christ, whose suffering and death on the cross have caused people to easily empathize with those who suffer. Of course, some will dismiss the pain and suffering being endured, but as humans who bear that pain and suffering require love and care to rise up and fight back in order to progress forward. For sure, everyone was looking for recent news about the pain of Palestinians, those whose families had been killed by missiles and whose homes had been destroyed; the pain of those who had lost their jobs or were struggling with meager incomes; and the frustration of those who were unable to support their families due to economic deprivation.
And yet this note talks about resurrection? Again, Christ's resurrection from the dead represents hope. And hope for humanity takes numerous shapes. Of course, such realities are quite "mentally paralyzing," hopeless conditions that cannot be rejected, no matter who merely shrugs or blames the victim for the consequences. But, again, why does this note mention resurrection? Christ descended into hell and rose again, bringing with him everyone who had died, suffered, and was hopeless- and in His rising again shows He the paschal victim brought an immense hope and the immeasurable love of God the world yeans, the insurmountable hope that peace will come, and the miseries, abuses, deprivations, sufferings will end and go away.
To cut this thought short, as the world celebrates this occasion, again let the folk remember that infinite love of God that overcomes humanity's limit and weakness. This gift means having a renewed will to fight be it against the self or against the world, especially in this time of catastrophe and crisis.
Thursday 28 March 2024
"When resistance becomes necessary"
Wednesday 27 March 2024
“When words shouldn’t remain empty”
“When words shouldn’t remain empty and meaningless”
This note first expresses solidarity to the struggling folk in this season of Lent.
As the folk commemorate the passion and glory of the saviour Jesus Christ, this solemn occasion means a time to reflect, to renew, and to take wholeheartedly the love and sacrifice what God made to every heart and mind especially in a time of crisis.
However, despite such messages especially from the current order, words like "forgiveness", "love", "solidarity", among others, is not being taken seriously as injustices and oppression still occur. And it is not surprising that from these messages are rephrased statements from the past whose thought is far from its actual action such as driven by self-interest.
Right is His Holiness Pope Francis in his "Fratelli Tutti" that certain words are being bent and shaped as tools to dominate, and as meaningless tags to justify actions- that mostly contrary to the spirit of the message. Especially in the presence and pressure of recent events, those words stated above, being babbled by those from the order would be enough to say trying to rally people- especially those having enough of oppression or injustice, of systemic corruption to that of rising costs of living, that those from the order would appeal to everyone's faith, or conscience despite such inconvenient truths that same order failed to address what more doing so just to maim growing dissent.
For sure there are christians who ought to downplay this message, that Christianity should focus on spiritual redemption than social reform, that "There is no such thing as society" as what Thatcher said, but Christ's message, action, what more his sacrifice is itself paved way to social reform. As according to Daniel Lyons SJ, that "Christ came to found a religion; He taught no formal social science. But the religious principles He laid down revolutionized social science; in fact, they brought it into being. Fully one-half of Christ's recorded sayings are social in character, that is, they deal with man's relations with his fellow-man, which is the very definition of sociology. When Christ reduced His commandments to two, the first dealt with the love of God, the other with the love of one's fellow man: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself". Of the Ten the first three deal with man's duties towards God, while the other seven are concerned with man's social duties."
Words like "Love," "Solidarity," and other concepts should be understood by Christians as calls to action as well as thought. A spiritual rejuvenation achieved by introspection and prayer needs to be complemented by deeds, such as providing for the impoverished, healing the ill, or standing out for social justice and the truth. Call it radical or revolutionary, but the objective of the faithful is the life to come, just like Christ, through whom God's love is made evident.
Jesus Christ fulfilled his obligation. Nevertheless, He spent His time demonstrating unending compassion for the populace, especially for the uncontrollable masses.
And by following Christ, it is the duty to serve the people all for the kingdom come.