My country! My people! Why are you forsaken me?!?
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| From "Manila Today" |
This may be the words of most people nowadays. For as time goes by, and everyone has seen all the inconvenient realities of poverty, repression, and various forms of social injustices, coupled by recent news reports of extra judicial killings, corruption charge, and narcopolitics, isn't it relevant that this third world country whp yearned for hope is been forsaken for so long by a system that supposed to be uplifting?
Yes, for as everyone reads about the news or rather say see the headlines amd afforded to share its post or comment in it, they would say that the country they supposed to love and to cherish is itself forsaken all because of the inconvenient realities that hinders a nation from its supposed path.
And like Jesus Christ who was suffered and died fom the cross, these people, the long suffering average Juan, Maria, and Jose who has endured all the poverty, pain, and negligence, asks everyone especially those who swore to give concern: my country, my people, why are you forsaken me?!?
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| From Tudla pproductions |
The message may sound aloud and even strikes through everyone's heart, but obviously, most people who afforded to listen on that christ-like message does not care about it if not treating with scorn. Some would even assuming to be moralist telling that they are disobeying the law, and others be like entirely apathetic as they "move on" as if nothing happened with all their lives. The society that supposedly as Christ-like, assuming to be as righteous as the others has gone hedonistic with a smattering of knowing for law, but less of understanding right and of justice.
Worse, they afforded to be assuming as Christian as most Christians with all the pomp with its rituals, of fame-based "charity" or anything just to appear as holy as they babble something moralistic and assuming they are just and imbued with faith, but, where were they on the times people yearn not just help but for justice? Again, their ears are shut if not afforded to listen and be replied with scorn.
In a situation such as these inconvenient realities, it is the duty of the concerned to bring the gospel of struggle to each and everyone, to open eyes and minds and join in a quest for taking back justice and bring hope in a forsaken country riddled with bullets and various forms of hopelessness. Why to remain apathetic in these kinds of truths while assuming to be as Christ-like as the others especially this lent? Perhaps a message from Bishop Socrates Villegas sounds relevant nowadays:
"Fasting is good, but without malasakit (concern) for others, it is nothing. Prayer is good, but without remembering others and laying aside personal comfort, it is just an ego trip. Helping the poor and giving alms are good, but if you do it for show or to get a “feel good” reward later, it is just a noisy bell."
So is Gerardo Lanuza, as he said:
"Because we misunderstood Jesus as a mere spiritual leader who promised salvation in the next life, we have killed Christianity. As Nietzsche says: "the word 'Christianity' is already a misunderstanding - in reality there has only been one Christian - and he died on the cross. The evangel died on the cross."
The evangel is about loving the world, not escaping it into a spiritual world."
In a situation such as these inconvenient realities, it is the duty of the concerned to bring the gospel of struggle to each and everyone, to open eyes and minds and join in a quest for taking back justice and bring hope in a forsaken country riddled with bullets and various forms of hopelessness. Why to remain apathetic in these kinds of truths while assuming to be as Christ-like as the others especially this lent? Perhaps a message from Bishop Socrates Villegas sounds relevant nowadays:
"Fasting is good, but without malasakit (concern) for others, it is nothing. Prayer is good, but without remembering others and laying aside personal comfort, it is just an ego trip. Helping the poor and giving alms are good, but if you do it for show or to get a “feel good” reward later, it is just a noisy bell."
So is Gerardo Lanuza, as he said:
"Because we misunderstood Jesus as a mere spiritual leader who promised salvation in the next life, we have killed Christianity. As Nietzsche says: "the word 'Christianity' is already a misunderstanding - in reality there has only been one Christian - and he died on the cross. The evangel died on the cross."
The evangel is about loving the world, not escaping it into a spiritual world."
Yes. Loving the world, loving by helping people struggling against the tide; loving the world by going beyond the parameters to realise hopes; loving the world by putting an end to an eternal infamy.