ISANG PALAISIPAN

Nasaksihan ko ang ilang bahagi ng pagsisilbi ng iba’t ibang administrasyon. Mula sa aking posisyon sa akademya, sa legal practice, sa international organizations, sa policy studies, sa very difficult international arbitration cases ng Pilipinas, at bilang hukom sa Korte Suprema, nakita ko ang bahagi ng personalidad ng iba’t ibang pangulo at mga taong nakapaligid sa kanila. Merong mahiyain at ayaw na ang atensyon ay palaging nasa kanya, merong palabiro, merong sharp at efficient, merong cunning, merong super-focused, at merong tinatawag na hustler talaga.

At merong isang tanong na kailangan nating harapin, lalo na yung mga mananampalataya. If Christianity teaches modesty as a virtue, and a Christian becomes a political leader, to what extent will he/she out of that modesty, restrain trumpeting her/his achievements?

Ito ang nakita kong contrast: mga pulitikong naniniwala that everything is achievable by manipulating perception, vis-a-vis those who have been self-effacing, readily crediting not her/himself for the achievements of her/his administration but others. And just willing to fade into the background when their time is up.

And if, because the manipulator type has the money, his group can alter perception by peddling lies, meantime, what does it say about our faith if we are as gullible as the next person and fall for the manipulation?

What should we teach young Christians who want to go to public service, with what they have been seeing the past 6 or more years? Can they still fight with the classical notion of Christian virtues? How do we help Christians who want to serve our country become real salt and light and not be eaten by the system?

This is the challenge to us. But to even have a fighting chance to reverse the downward trajectory into the world of untruth, our people must repent.

Simulan na po natin, in our little way. Ask God to forgive us for the times we failed to listen to Him, for what He wants to give us and our country. Let’s accept His love, His presence, His guidance, especially through His Word. Let us all ask Him to give us another chance to go back to Him. Tara na po, tayo’y buong puso na magbalik-loob sa Panginoong Hesukristo. Salamat po.