Linggo ng Pentekostes

"Nadagdag sa kanila ang may 3,000 tao nang araw na iyon. Nanatili sila sa itinuro ng mga apostol, sa pagsasama-sama bilang magkakapatid, sa pagpipira-piraso ng tinapay, at sa pananalangin." Gawa 2:41-42

"Araw-araw, sila'y nagkakatipon sa templo, nagpipira-piraso ng tinapay sa kanilang tahanan, at nagsasalu-salong masaya ang kalooban. Nagpupuri sila sa Diyos at kinalulugdan ng lahat ng tao. Bawat araw ay idinaragdag sa kanila ng Panginoon ang mga inililigtas." Gawa 2:46-47

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Sa mga tala ng Banal na Kasulatan, ang isang naging bunga ng pagdating ng Espiritu Santo ay ang paglaganap ng pananampalataya kay Kristo; ang pagdami ng mga mananampalataya.

Narito na agad ang matinding tanong at hamon sa atin, mga makabagong Kristiyano:
- bakit, ayon sa tala ng ilang eksperto, dumarami ang tumatalikod sa Simbahan o tumatalikod sa pananampalataya? Bakit tinatamad ang mga Kristiyano pagdating sa mga gawain kaugnay ng pananampalataya?

Iniwan na ba tayo ng Espiritung Banal? Hindi na ba natin taglay ang Kanyang biyaya at pamamatnubay?

Nakatitiyak akong hindi ang Espiritu Santo ang dapat sisihin sa ganitong pangyayari; sapagkat ang bisa ng patnubay ng Espiritu Santo ay katumbas ng pag-ibig ng Diyos -- walang hanggan. Bagkus tingnan natin ang pagkukulang sa panig nating mga tao.

Napapabayaan sa ting mga pamayanan ang paglaganap ng mga paraan ng pamumuhay na salungat sa ating tawag bilang mga Kristiyano. Nakikita pa ba sa atin ang diwa ng pananatili sa itinuro ng mga apostol, ang pagsasama-sama bilang magkakapatid, ang pagsasalu-salong masaya ang kalooban? Inilalaan ba natin ang ating sarili sa layuning ipalaganap ang Kaharian ng Diyos?

Magtatagumpay lamang ang pagsusumikap na ipalaganap ang paghahari ng Diyos kung ang Banal na Espiritu ay nananahan sa puso ng mga tao, ng mga Kristiyano. Ang Dakilang Kapistahan ng Pentekostes ay hindi lamang ang paggunita sa pagpanaog ng Espiritu Santo sa mga Apostol, kundi ang pagtatanto natin, na ang Espiritung ito ay taglay din natin sa ting mga puso, at tinatawagan tayong kumilos ayon sa kanyang paggabay.

(Pagninilay halaw sa aklat ni Adolf Adam: The Key to Faith)

A Late Addition to the Election Brouhaha...

A late addition to the Election bruhaha...
(makikigulo lang)

Contrary to what some people may say, there is not yet any evidence of a "catholic vote." And contrary to what is sensationalized in mass media, it does not seem that the RH issue factored significantly in the election. If it did, Hontiveros would win if the Pro-RH dominated the elections, Mitos Magsaysay would win if it's the other way around.

The reason neither Hontiveros nor Magsaysay is likely to win is they are not as popular as a "Poe" or a "Binay" or even an "Estrada," or at least not yet.

This is no expert opinion; but it does not seem as if we need an expert to figure this out.

Also, it is absurd to claim any Divine intervention stopped Hontiveros from being in the Senate; that is simply delusional  If God was responsible for that, He should have as well made sure Magsaysay, delos Reyes, Llasos, et al., won the election. But as such, there is no need for God to do that. He gave as reason, free will, plus conscience for purposes such as that.

MAINTAINING A NON-PARTISAN CHURCH: THE PHILIPPINE CHURCH, COMELEC, AND TEAM BUHAY

MAINTAINING A NON-PARTISAN CHURCH:

THE PHILIPPINE CHURCH, COMELEC, AND TEAM BUHAY

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Now that some Bishops, priests, and lay leaders want to distinguish between ‘Team Buhay and Team Patay’ and directly or indirectly campaign for or against certain political candidates, here’s my two cents’ worth:

The Supreme Court initially favoring the Church via the TRO issued against the Comelec’s order for the removal of the “Team Buhay, Team Patay” tarp, it may, in one way, show the possibility of a so-called “Catholic vote.” But this would not in any way guarantee a better election, better politics, much less a better Philippine Nation.

I understand the Church’s rage on Legarda, Escudero, Hontiveros, et al., for supporting the RH Law. But calling Cynthia Villar, JV Ejercito, Nancy Binay, and others “Team Buhay” and endorsing their candidacy is another thing. I appreciate ‘Team Buhay’ for their opposition to the RH Law, an opposition that is seemingly a continually losing battle in this secular world. But putting them in the Senate, tantamount to saying they are our best choices for the highest law-making body of our country, to me that is unacceptable.

THE FALLIBILITY OF A POSSIBLE CATHOLIC VOTE

I have not forgotten how in 2010, even without the idea of a “Catholic vote” some bishops and priests, some of them still have that ominous yellow ribbon on their cars to this day, openly endorsed Noynoy Aquino. Fast forward to 2013 we all know that Aquino played a vital and most important role in the railroading and immediate passage of the RH Law after hasty deliberations. Noynoy might have still won the elections then even without endorsement from the Church leaders; he would still have railroaded the passage of the RH Law afterwards. But those who endorsed him have less of a right, or maybe they have no right at all, to scream in protest; they are partly to blame for the ‘success’ of RH.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A NON-PARTISAN CHURCH

In 2010, in the midst of election campaigns, I also did ask myself, “isn’t it high time for the Church to identify and promote certain candidates that would echo the “Catholic voice” in the government. At that point an acquaintance, now a priest in the Diocese of Malolos, answered me in this line thought: “if the Church names candidates the Catholics should vote, the Church would be as much responsible if a candidate she endorsed fails in governing, or worse, end up being as corrupt as the leaders the Church so condemn.” And now I realize, Ta Menx, now Fr. Menald, was right then; right until today if he still holds the same opinion.

The Church serves as the herald of the truth; the arbiter of morality of this nation.  If the Church leaders would openly dictate who the Catholics should vote and they directly or indirectly commit a mistake and help elect corrupt, even evil officials, then her voice as a moral guardian would be muffled. If the Church would endorse candidates who cannot keep their promises of good governance, then she would lose her authority as an arbiter of morality. It would be hypocritical of a Church that would engage in partisan politics if one day she rejoices and claims credit for electing a leader via the Catholic vote and then the next day cries “Anathema sit!” on that same leader.

This is the very reason why the Church should remain non-partisan; it is essential to her nature and mission to remain so. It is vital to witnessing to the truth that the Church does not take sides on the issue of politics. The Church can remain non-partisan when it comes to elections, but be still as bold in proclaiming the truth about Christ’s teachings.

STATEMENT OF FILIPINO BISHOPS AND STATEMENT OF THE BISHOPS OF THE PHILIPPINES

This need to maintain the non-partisan stand of the Church may be the reason why, of the many voices I hear on the ‘Catholic vote’ there is one obviously missing; one so important – that of the pre-eminent Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. Moreover, lay leaders, priests, and bishops have taken initiative, but it is apparent that the initiative is not sanctioned on an official level by the Philippine Church, there seems to be no official statement by the CBCP. These two facts, the silence of the Archbishop of Manila, ‘primus inter pares’ among Filipino prelates and the lack of an ‘official’ declaration of the CBCP tells me the initiative of the so-called Catholic vote is just that, an initiative, though not in any way an official teaching of the Philippine Church.

With this in mind, I have reason to believe that though some Filipino bishops would want otherwise, the bishops of the Philippines via the CBCP leadership and the Philippine Church that Cardinal Tagle so vividly represents, intends to remain as non-partisan as ever and refrain from partisan politics, as all of us should do so.