Righteous Indignation

Binhi sang Pagtuo

November 30, 2009

Dear Centralians and Friends,

Greetings from Iloilo!

Today is another holiday. Our country is celebrating the heroism of Andres Bonifacio, the Filipino that organized a secret society called Katipunan – Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (The Highest and Most Respectable Society of the Sons of the People). The Katipunan advocated revolution rather than reform.

The Katipunan interpreted Christianity apart from what the colonizers taught them. Mabini wrote a New Decalogue. A portion of it says:

“…God is the fountain of all truth, of all justice, and of all activity, and thy honor the only power which will oblige thee to be truthful, just, and industrious…Thou shalt cultivate the special gifts which God has granted thee, working and studying according to thy ability, never leaving the path of righteousness and justice…Thou shalt strive for the independence of thy country: for only thou canst have any real interest in her advancement and exaltation, because her independence constitutes thy own liberty, her advancement, thy perfection, and exaltation, thy own glory and immortality.” (Obusan, ed., Roots of Filipino Spirituality, p. 280)

Since last week, politicians have started filing their Certificate of Candidacy. Most of them filed last November 28 because they deemed it lucky (a double eight). The politicians have now started their mantras – “we want to serve you; we are servants of the people.”

But the gruesome massacre of about 60 people in Maguindanao, Mindanao reminds us that most of these politicians do not want to serve the people. They only want to serve themselves. The pictures and videos being shown in the newspapers and TV news stations are so horrific that it incites you to puke. Women were raped and then shot in the genitals; some were murdered by a chainsaw; some were buried alive inside their vans; and some were killed while the perpetrators were laughing. It is as if Lucifer was incarnated in these merciless killers.

Where are the principles of honor, justice, righteousness, and sense of service? The Katipuneros are reminding us today of what they fought for. As Christians let us have a righteous indignation on what happened. Let this be a costly wake-up call for all of us to stand up and be counted. Let us throw away our indifference and be part of the transformation of our society.

May God bless us all in this struggle!

Sincerely,

Pastor Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

Assistant Chaplain