It is appalling how the love triangle of a young matinee idol with two pretty young actresses is getting more media mileage that the sedition charges against the bishops, the VP and other opposition figures. There is definitely something amiss or misplaced with our priorities and sense of values.
The economic indicators and numbers are positive and give reasons to be optimistic. But ordinary folks have to struggle daily in the face of monstrous traffic jams, water shortage, rising prices and it is the poor who have borne the brunt of the government’s drug war and the incursion of the Chinese. In the face of it all, we Filipinos have handled all of these with our proverbial patience and forbearance. We are muddling along again, as usual. We are so used to muddling along; it is easy for one to succumb to being pessimistic and negative about possible outcomes and one would be most probably be right.
Faith is our great gift as a people. Churches are still full on the weekends. I find crucifixes in most cars and even motorcycles. I would often observe people making the sign of the cross when passing by a church or holy place. I see people saying grace before eating in public places. And, in the face of all these adversities, the constant refrain I hear is “Ipasa-Diyos na lang natin lahat.”
And at this particular point in our history when bishops are hailed to court for trumped up and fabricated charges, today’s Gospel takes on added significance: “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”
After declaring this, Jesus talked about his coming Passion and Death, to which the newly appointed Peter, the Rock, objected saying, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.”
And I feel the same way right now. Believers in Christ should not be going through what we are going through. We have praised and prayed to the Lord, He is our Good Shepherd. I am sure he will protect us from the wiles of the the Evil One.
The reply of Jesus to Peter should give us pause and something to really think and pray about, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
Indeed, for how else will the Resurrection come about?