Our Lady of the Abandoned, Marikina City
Filipinos have always taken great pride in being the only Christian nation in Asia. We have even fancied ourselves as “Pueblo Amante de Maria” – Mary’s Beloved People. And to reciprocate that Marian love, we have dedicated two months of the year as Marian months – May and October.
And yet, what have we to show for being the only Christian nation in this part of the world in the middle of Muslim and Buddhist seas. We have lagged behind many of our Asian countries in economic development. Today, we are so divided our non-Christian neighbors are wondering if this is what it means to be Christians. We seem to be very poor witnesses to being Christians.
I have often wondered along with Peter: “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” There have been moments in out history when I felt the Spirit was with us as a people. But right now, we are struggling through a parched and very dry desert as a people. Lost. Bewildered. Divided.
We may not be economically prosperous but I know we have our hearts, minds and spirit in the right places. I believe that the Spirit of Truth will guide us through these difficult and perilous times – as in days gone by. It is when the night is darkest that we seek and see the light.