"NON SIT CONFUSIO"
On the Distortion of Christ’s Passion
in the Justification of Power and Violence
A Palm Sunday Reflection
The Triumph of the Cross, Not the Sword
As the folk raise palms to commemorate the Lord’s entrance into Jerusalem, the Church calls the faithful to remember that the Messiah this world follow is not one of worldly domination, but of humble suffering and self-sacrificing love. Christ’s Passion is not a political metaphor—it is the culmination of divine mercy meeting human violence.
Today, however, some seek to distort this mystery. They claim that political leaders—particularly former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who now faces investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC)—are modern-day Christs, persecuted not for wrongdoing but for standing firm. Such comparisons are not only misplaced—they are blasphemous distortions of the Gospel.
Christ did not spill the blood of others. He shed His own. He was not a master of vengeance, but the Lamb who forgave His executioners
(cf. Luke 23:34).
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth… By oppression and judgment he was taken away.”
— Isaiah 53:7–8
The Record of Power and the Cry of the Innocent
Duterte’s legacy is marked by a campaign of state violence that resulted in thousands of deaths, most among the poor. Reports from Human Rights Watch, Rappler, and Amnesty International estimate over 12,000 extrajudicial killings during the so-called “war on drugs.” No trials. No mercy. No due process.
In 2018, Duterte stated:
“My only sin is the extrajudicial killings.”
— (Speech in Malacañang Palace, September 27, 2018)
He later infamously mocked the faithful, saying:
“Your God is stupid.”
— (Davao City, June 22, 2018)
Let it be made clear: Christ said,
“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to cast a stone.”
— John 8:7
Yet Duterte not only cast stones—he encouraged others to do so, rejoicing in their flight.
The ICC’s investigation is not persecution, but an attempt to uphold international justice and human dignity. The Rome Statute, signed by the Philippines in 2000, commits nations to confront crimes against humanity wherever they occur.
— Isaiah 10:1–2
Political Messianism and the Abuse of Holy Symbols
The temptation to fashion messiahs out of strongmen is not new. The crowd that welcomed Jesus with palms cried “Hosanna!” one day and “Crucify Him!” the next. They were confused between the power of Caesar and the mercy of Christ.
Christ’s crown was of thorns, not military medals. His power was thatfrom the Father, not the distortion of the law nor the gun.
In Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis warns of this confusion:
“The best way to dominate and gain control over people is to spread despair and discourage hope… this strategy of domination weakens them and opens the way to demagoguery.”
— Fratelli Tutti, §15
Likewise, in Evangelii Gaudium, he writes:
“It is not the task of religion to offer a substitute for politics… but neither should it remain silent in the face of injustice.”
— Evangelii Gaudium, §183
The Cross is Not for Tyrants
To compare the trials of Duterte to the Passion of Christ is to mock Calvary itself. The Cross is not a cover for the sins of the powerful. It is the place where sin is exposed and mercy reigns.
Those who died without justice—the children, the innocent, the poor—are the ones whose suffering bears closer resemblance to Christ than any political figure.
To twist Palm Sunday into a political myth is to once again choose Barabbas, the insurrectionist, over Christ, the Lamb.
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”
— Galatians 6:7
Call to Vigilance and Truth
Let every priest, catechist, teacher, and preacher speak truth this Holy Week. Silence in the face of this distortion is complicity.
Palm Sunday is not a celebration of empty spectacle—it is a pledge to walk the road of justice with Christ. That road leads not to the palace of tyrants, but to the Cross of love.
To those who wave palms yet defend cruelty, hear the words of Christ:
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
— Luke 6:46
Final Admonition
The Cross is not a prop. It is not a shield for rulers nor a stage for spectacle. It is the measure of love.
Let the folk raise palms for the true Christ—not the one made in the image of political convenience, but the one who lays down His life for the least of these.
Let this Holy Week be one of clarity, repentance, and resolve.
“Whatever you did to the least of these, you did to Me.”
— Matthew 25:40