Posted by Word Alive — Fr. Bel San Luis, SVD February 27, 2022 / 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The main reason why the Marcoses were exiled following a bloodless revolution was when the abuses, extra judicial killings, tortures, cheating in the polls, and corruption reached its highest peak. Filipinos are naturally patient and peaceful but the excesses triggered what’s now known as the People Power. Hundreds of thousands massed themselves along Edsa to block the way of the soldiers and military tanks.
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According to Fr. Emmanuel Menguito, SVD, who was there, related that many priests, nuns, and seminarians thought it was the end when Sikorsky helicopters were hovering above waiting orders to fire and disperse them. Thank God, it didn’t happen, he said, otherwise there would have been a massive bloody massacre.
Now they are back. And without qualms of conscience and atonement for their abuses, they want to return to power again.
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Foreigners must be laughing why “Filipinos after getting rid of the dictator through People Power, now want the son to become a president!”
Are Filipinos masochists forever?
EVEN JESUS CHRIST PAID TAXES
A parish priest happened to meet one of his parishioners in a mall and said, “Johnny, I haven’t seen you in church for a long time. What happened?”
“Father, I’ve stopped going to church. There are a lot of hypocrites there.”
Whereupon, the priest smiled and said: “Well, there’s always room for one more (hypocrite).”
If one goes to church only when all are sinless, nobody would ever go to church anymore.
As somebody said, “The Church is an institution of sinners.”
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Jesus understands our human nature very well. He recognizes our wrongdoings and human frailties.
In his unfathomable mercy, God will always forgive us. However, he expects of us to reform and make reparation. This was shown when Jesus had forgiven the woman who was condemned for committing adultery. “I don’t condemn you,” Jesus said,” but don’t sin again.”
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Another lesson we can learn from Jesus’ teaching today is for those who are vested with leadership and responsibility. They must strive to show good example and be credible in order to command respect.
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For instance, many people are scandalized when they found out that a presidential candidate didn’t pay his income taxes when he was a governor. Poor people are penalized when they fail to pay. How can such an aspiring president escape such a serious offence?
Even Jesus Christ, when questioned about paying taxes, had ordered Peter to go and find some money “to pay taxes for himself and Peter “(Read Matt. 17,25).
