A Thief

The Year of Mercy will be formally closed on Sunday November 20, the feast of Christ the King.  Looking back, this holy year was an opportune time to rediscover God's mercy and make it felt especially by everyone, especially those in need. It is unfortunate though that in the Philippines, this holy year closes with a low note, thanks (or no thanks) to the infamous ruling of the Supreme Court (SC) allowing the remains of dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB).

By looking more at the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the same, the 9 associate justices have washed their hands from any responsibility to clarify and put to rest such an issue. By looking more at the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law, our magistrates have shown the typical forgetfulness of Filipinos on the sins of their oppressors. By looking more at the letter rather than the spirit of the law, the Court has lost the opportunity to administer what is too obvious: justice for the Martial Law victims, justice for the whole Philippines.

I don't know where these justices were while Marcos and his minions pillaged the country left and right and trampled the rights of its people with impunity. Have our justices become subservient to the Palace the way the Legislative branch has done? One thing is for sure: allowing Marcos to be buried at the LNMB won't bring any closure, healing, or unity.

Just a few hours ago, we've seen video footage and photos of Marcos' remains secretly being buried at the LNMB. Without waiting for the petitioners to challenge the SC's decision, the Marcoses have pushed through with the burial. Why in secret? (And please, Malacanan, don't give us that flimsy excuse that you are not aware of the interment!) Did Marcos die of cholera or any infectious disease?  Is there a war that the body needs to be buried hastily? What's there to hide? I suddenly remembered what my mother used to say; that no matter how deep you bury a jar of bagoong (anchovy sauce), it will still smell! No matter how the Marcoses hide their sins, the people will still smell the stench of their deeds. So be vigilant, people!

And why only family and few supporters in attendance? Shouldn't the country celebrate a hero's burial? For that's what the Court ruling tells us. At any rate, the burial just reveals who he really is: a thief.

I note that the Gospel for the 20th is about a thief who, in his final hours, repented and humbly asked Jesus to remember him when the Lord comes into His kingdom. So much different to the thief whose remains are now interred at the LNMB: unrepentant, arrogant, and pathetic.

A Priest of Mercy

Ever since retiring from active ministry and moving back to Bulwell in September last year, Fr Anthony Dolan has made his presence felt in the community. He would often concelebrate Mass whenever he could. During his first few months, I haven't heard him deliver the homily.  A few friends of mine told me that he actually did during Christmas Morning Mass. Too bad, I attended the Vigil Mass. It took a few weeks later - the feast of the Lord's Baptism to be exact - when I heard him preach to the congregation. 

His homily during that celebration focused on Jesus as the Lord's Servant. Being the Servant, Christ manifested in His life the Father's Mercy. Indeed, as Pope Francis once wrote, "Jesus is the face of the Father's mercy."

Since then, I had the chance to attend a few Sunday Masses with Fr Anthony presiding and preaching.  And in all of these instances, he would always remind people of God's mercy and of how we should celebrate the Year of Mercy.  In one of those Masses, he recommended that we assign a holy door of Mercy in our own homes. He suggested that it would be the door where we could pray as we enter and as we leave. He even gave as an example the main door of his house as his own holy door of Mercy. 

There was one instance when Fr Anthony didn't preach, but only read the Bishop's Pastoral Letter in observance of Safeguarding Sunday (24 April 2016).  What caught my attention in that Letter was the Bishop's story of "Maria" (not her real name) who was a victim of human trafficking in our own diocese.  Furthermore, I noticed Fr Anthony so much affected by such an incident that he invited us to spend some time in prayer after Mass for "Maria" and other victims of human trafficking. He told us that he too would stay for a few minutes in church to pray. Listening to him speak, I felt as though he was almost in tears.

At a time and age when mercy seems to be archaic, when we give more emphasis on "Me, mine, and myself", when we seek more independence from rather than trust in God, when our battle cry would often be "Justice!" (as though justice and mercy are completely divorced from each other),  Fr Anthony's emphasis on God's mercy comes as a wake up call. 

I think there are three things that we could learn from Fr Anthony if we wish to "Be merciful just as our heavenly Father is merciful". First, remember. During the Mass, Fr Anthony and his brother priests across the world would quote Jesus' words "Do this in memory of me". It's to our best interest to remember how merciful God is to us otherwise we won't be able accept the invite to be merciful like Him. By remembering, comes being rooted. As a priest, Fr Anthony has shown how it is to be rooted in God. As a son of Bulwell, he has shown how rooted he is in the parish which, like a mother, nurtured him in the faith.

Second, devotion to Our Lady. One thing noticeable about Fr Anthony is that he would kneel in front of the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour for a few minutes before proceeding to the sacristy to get himself ready for Mass. Next to Jesus, Mary stands out as our model of how it is to be open to God's mercy and to share that mercy to others. Apart from that, Mary is a good teacher on how we should treasure in our hearts the great things that the Lord has done for us.

Third, action.  As we were leaving the Poor Clare Monastery Chapel, after the Taize prayer service held in June, Fr Anthony quipped "We have been praying all the time!". I took as though Fr Anthony was telling me, "Now that you've prayed, it's time to put that fully charged heart, mind, and soul of yours to work and bear fruit."

Happy 50th sacerdotal ordination anniversary, Fr Anthony, this coming Saturday (23 July 2016)! Thank you for your inspiring words and faithful service.  Keep on proclaiming the Lord's mercy to all! God bless you always.

A People of Mercy

April 28 this year marks the 67th death anniversary of a great Filipina who was known for her works of mercy: Mrs Aurora Aragon-Quezon.  Even before becoming the nation's first First Lady, she was already engaged in works of mercy. One incident which I find touching happened when she discontinued her studies due to poor health. Returning to her hometown in Baler, she brought the books she purchased while still in Manila and put up a library for the benefit of her town mates, some of which may not have received proper education. 

Later in her life, she became involved in charitable institutions such as the Associacion de Damas de Filipinas and White Cross. Towards the end of her life, she became the first Chairman of the Philippine Red Cross. Apart from these organizations, she was also engaged in religious associations like the Catholic Women's League and the committee in charge of raising funds for the rehabilitation of the Antipolo Church.

In celebration of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy which Pope Francis opened on December 8, 2015, a renowned bishop urged the seminaries in his diocese to become seminaries of mercy. In order to achieve this, he offered the following steps: (1) by becoming in touch with humanity; (2) by being united to divinity; and (3) by cultivating spirituality.

I think the bishop's exhortation applies even to other groups and individuals who wish to be merciful like the Father. I also think these three served as hallmarks of Mrs Quezon rendering mercy to her fellowmen.

She was in touch with humanity. Described as a strict, but understanding mother, she looked after her family well. There was a time when her husband Manuel became a lapsed Catholic. It was said that through her perseverance, her husband returned to his faith. She was also a hands-on landowner, a staunch supporter of women's rights to vote, and according to President Elpidio Quirino, "a mother to her people".

She was united with divinity. She was a woman of prayer who would frequently attend Mass and say the Rosary.  A Marian devotee, she led other lay faithful from the Archdiocese of Manila in making an appeal to the country to pray for peace.

Finally, she cultivated spirituality in her life. It was not enough that she was engaged with broken humanity. It wouldn't suffice too if she just said a hundred and one prayers. Equally important was for her to imitate the Father who is "rich in mercy" (Psalm 103:8). 

Through Mrs Quezon's numerous works of mercy, healing was effected on those whose lives she touched. As Fr Pacifico Ortiz, SJ would put it "(Mrs Quezon) walked through life doing good, who was light unto the blind, protecting unto the weak, the mother of the poor, and in a sense the mother of us all...to keep us together, to heal broken friendships, to bind up political wounds, to pour the oil of compassion upon the social ulcers of our age, to cherish and guard the sanctities of the home."

At times, it is not easy to be merciful; let alone being merciful like the Heavenly Father. Some people would misunderstand us. Some may take us for granted. Some may become envious of us. Worse, some may even say or do evil things to us. Sadly, this was what happened to Mrs Quezon. While on her way to her hometown to inaugurate the Manuel Quezon Memorial Hospital, she and a number of her companions were ambushed and killed by insurgents. A story goes that Mrs Quezon was forewarned of insurgents, but shrugged off the threat because she knew the leader of the insurgents. Be it as it may, Mrs Quezon showed her determination to continue her good works in spite of these threats. If her poor health and subsequent withdrawal from university didn't prevent her from helping her town mates, I believe her death didn't halt her works of mercy - the charitable and religious organisations she was affiliated with are still existing and continuing her legacy!

Becoming merciful like the Father doesn't have any perks. "Get ready to be hurt," says Cardinal Chito Tagle. The only promise that Jesus assures those who are merciful is that they will be shown mercy in the afterlife (Matthew 5:7). Regardless of the difficulties we are encountering or may encounter, let us keep ourselves focused in doing works of mercy. That way we would keep the memory of Mrs Quezon alive. We would become a people of mercy!

 

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In a few days, the Philippines will be having its national (and local) elections.  Elections would naturally polarize people. Some will go for this candidate while others would go for that candidate. Still others would be undecided. The Year of Mercy is an opportune time for us to think and act. Are the candidates merciful like the Father? Do their track record attest to this or not? I know it's so easy to be swept away by candidates' words, but we need to check if their actions would agree with whatever they say. It's not enough for us to hear candidates condemning corruption, poverty, injustice, and other maladies of society. We need to hear what will they do to eliminate these. One problem that the country is still suffering from is that 40% of its annual budget is automatically allocated for debt servicing, thanks to Ferdinand Marcos (who made it a law) and to his successors (who keep on implementing such an immoral law). From what I gather from the presidential candidates, it seems that it will be business as usual. How unmerciful!

***

 

When Mrs Quezon was still alive, she was asked to run for public office. She declined the offer, but instead supported those she believed to be capable of serving the country. She could have grabbed the opportunity since she was the wife of a former president and has earned respect from the people, but she chose not to. Looking at some candidates, I can only shake my head in disgust. There's this movie actress running for the Senate. Ditto this boxing champion-turned congressman. What will they do there? Pose? It's as though becoming a politician would be the only way for them to help the people. It sometimes makes me wonder what their real motive is to run.  It may be too late in the day to appeal to these candidates to withdraw from the race, but it is not yet late for the voters to look for better, much deserving candidates. The power's in your hands, dear voters! Maawa kayo sa ating bayan!



 

 

 

Dominic and Thomas

The Order of Preachers (a.k.a. Dominicans) is celebrating its 800^th anniversary this year.  In Santo Domingo Church (Quezon City), the Jubilee celebration was launched in November last year by Cardinal Chito Tagle.  I received almost all of my education from the Dominicans – Nursery (a.k.a. Playhouse) to Grade 3: Angelicum School (now College), Grade 6 to 4th year High School: Letran, Manila, and BSc Chemistry: UST. After obtaining my degree, I worked in UST for almost 6 years.  I am also affiliated with the Rosary Confraternity which is also under the Order’s care. My Lola Piling once encouraged me to become a Dominican priest, but unfortunately I do not have a calling to become a Domini canes (hounds of the Lord).

A few months back, I answered a quiz on “Which Dominican Saint Are You Most Like?” (https://churchpop.com/2015/11/08/quiz-which-dominican-saint-are-you-most-like/) . At the end of the quiz, I was expecting that I would be most like St Thomas Aquinas, doctor of the Church and patron of UST, but my answers revealed me to be like St Dominic de Guzman, founder of the Order.  I am happy with that because without St Dominic, there’ll be no Dominican Order and there’ll be no jubilee to celebrate.

For me, both saints were great men of mercy. When Spain experienced a famine, the young Dominic gave away his possessions to feed the hungry. "Would you have me study off these dead skins, when men are dying of hunger?", he asked his fellow students.  As a priest, he preached against the Albigensian heresy and founded an institute for women. This happened about 10 years before he founded the group of Dominican friars. The Order was instituted out of the need for new type of order which will address the spiritual needs of the growing cities at that time through dedication and systematic education and having a more flexible organization than monastic orders or the secular clergy.

As for Thomas, whose feast day we celebrate as of this writing, he was a brilliant teacher, theologian, philosopher, and priest. Credit goes to him for writing Summa Theologica, an instructional guide for theology students, seminarians, and laity alike. He thought of writing this “because  a doctor of Catholic truth ought not only to teach the proficient, but to him pertains also to instruct beginners. As the Apostle says in 1 Corinthians 3: 1–2, as to infants in Christ, I gave you milk to drink, not meat, our proposed intention in this work is to convey those things that pertain to the Christian religion, in a way that is fitting to the instruction of beginners".

Both saints pointed to the Truth – Christ Himself.  No wonder that UST’s motto is Veritas.  I remember Fr Ernesto Arceo, OP (currently Rector of Aquinas University) mentioned in his homily a decade or so ago that if these men were senators in the Philippines during Joseph Estrada's impeachment, they would vote to have the controversial envelope (containing evidence that would allegedly prove Erap's corruption) opened. 

As we pay tribute to these saints and to the men and women comprising the Dominican Order in their Jubilee Year, let’s live AND share the truth. For as St Thomas once said “Better to illuminate than merely to shine, to deliver to others contemplated truths than merely to contemplate”.

Les Mis

The first time I watched Les Miserables on TV ages ago, I dozed off, which annoyed my friend Vlad Reyes. The musical play was based on Victor Hugo's novel with the same title. Our very own Lea Salonga was on this show.  I woke up towards the end of the play.

In 2012, a movie based on the same novel was produced. I was looking forward to watch it but didn't have the time to do so...until it was shown in TV. "This time", I told myself, " I won't doze off!". And so, my family and I watched the movie together.

Jean Valjean, an ex-convict, couldn't start anew his life. No one welcomed him except the saintly Bishop Myriel. In spite of the kindness shown him, he stole the bishop's silver plates. Strangely, when he was caught and dragged back to the bishop, the prelate defended him saying that he (the bishop) actually gave those silver ware to Jean. He even offered the candlesticks and asked the soldiers to release Jean.  This gesture touched Jean that he changed his identity, owned a factory, and became a town mayor.

Everything seemed to go smoothly until he met his nemesis Javert as the town's new inspector. Javert was the same guy who made Jean's life difficult in prison. This became more complicated when Jean rescued Fantine from being arrested and, promised to look after the dying lady's daughter Cosette.  Jean fulfilled his promise, but not without the Thenadiers and Javert chasing him.  

Jean was not an evil person for there have been many episodes that he did good, particularly adopting Cosette as his own. Like most if not all of us, he was faced with trials that almost made him lose focus.

The story, for me, is a story of  mercy.  It began with the bishop who didn't give up on Jean. Jean in turn showed compassion - to Fantine who had fallen to prostitution so she could send money for her child, to Cosette who has lost her mother and was at the mercy of the evil Thenadiers, to Javert whom he set free when captured by the revolutionists, and to Marius whose life he saved from the hands of the soldiers.  Mercy was also shown to Jean by that man whom he saved from the heavy cart when this man offered him and Cosette a safe place in the convent. Indeed,  “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

I am touched with that scene on Jean's death. Below are some lyrics of that scene:

Fantine (as a ghost): 

Come with me

Where chains will never bind you

All your grief

At last, at last behind you.

Lord in Heaven,

Look down on him in mercy. 

Valjean: 

Forgive me all my trespasses

And take me to your glory. 

Fantine: 

Take my hand

And lead me to salvation.

Take my love,

For love is everlasting. 

Valjean, Fantine and Bishop Myriel (all ghosts):

And remember

The truth that once was spoken

To love another person

Is to see the face of God.

The movie is truly a wake-up call for us to realize how God is merciful and how He calls us to do the same. It's also a wake up call to the poverty and suffering around us and what we're doing with these evils. I think this is a good movie as our country celebrates the Year of the Poor this year and as we get ready for the Jubilee Year of Mercy come December 8.  This may sound as a rather late advertisement, but if you still haven't watched Les Mis, please do so.