30 May 2021 *THE HOLY TRINITY Solemnity*

Rev. Ariel Siagan, IEMELIF

https://globalworship.tumblr.com/post/144730433075/trinity-art-india-jyoti-sahi

Isaiah 6: 1-8

Psalm 29

Romans 8:12-17

John 3: 1-17

The lectionary reading for this Sunday presents us the different complimentary facets of the persons of the Holy Trinity. In Isaiah 6:1-8, God sits on a high and lofty throne, glorious and holy. It was narrated on a backdrop of the death of King Uzziah. The Holy God is on the throne in the midst of a social crisis, a show of his sovereign rule. In John 3, God is en-fleshed in Jesus, the unassuming teacher to Nicodemus who at that time was conflicted, experiencing the dark night of the soul as he appeared in the middle of the night. In Romans 8, God is the Spirit who testifies and advocates, that we should no longer live in fear and shame. Throughout the different biblical time-period, God has clever ways of communicating in ways and forms that may give comfort, assurance, and empowerment to the people of God in a conspicuously comprehensible manner.

God is in the business of caring for all his entire creation. The Holy Trinity is a manifestation that he never ceased to be a distant God who walked away after creation. God, in different times and places and contexts, have manifested differently and relevantly. The Holy Trinity evidences to the fact that God is intervening in the flow of history. The manifestations of God defies normal logic. They manifest themselves in ways that surprises the people. God indeed cannot be boxed. God would go as far as defying the orthodoxies of people’s doctrinal commitments just to show and manifests his love, especially to those who have been marginalized and excluded by those human orthodoxies. In the lectionary, the readings show the shifts and turns of how God would manifest and make concrete his love for humanity. God did not remain on the throne, he was born as flesh and blood to be the worthy sacrifice for our sins. Yet he did not remain dead on the cross, he lived with and among us through the Spirit. The Holy Trinity fulfill its concrete presence in the lives of the people. That is how God operates: it defies boundaries of human logic and expectations just to express care and love.

The recent government’s pronouncement on community pantries is the exact opposite of expressing care. General Parlade of the National task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflic (NTF-ELCAC) has red-tagged community pantry organizer Ana Patricia Non announcing its links with rebel groups. He goes as far as demonizing her by comparing her with the snake in the Genesis narrative. His pronouncement, linking the organizers to rebel groups, has sent shockwaves of fear that threatened many. Some community pantries have to closed down for good reasons, despite the clamor of poor people for more help. Some were not deterred. Irish Inoceto, a community pantry organizer in Iloilo, was included as one of the persons depicted by tarpaulin banner hanging in a highly trafficked area in the city. She felt harassed, though her motivations came from the noblest of intentions.

This government move should not come as a surprise. Just last year, Jory Porquia, an activist and urban poor organizer, was red-tagged by the government before he was murdered by unknown assailants at his home in Iloilo City. He was just distributing food items in his economically-insecure, urban poor community. Other activists known for their work of alleviating their community’s suffering have suffered the same fate. The faces of Randy Malayao, Randy Echanis, and Sarah Alvarez come to my mind. The Duterte government seems to have countless ways of maligning those who wants to help the suffering poor people. He is apathetic to the concerns of the ordinary poor Filipinos. Community pantries should have not been an option if the government cared for the plight of the poor during this pandemic. Furthermore, a large sum of budget intended for the pandemic has been sitting somewhere in government banks unspent despite obvious suffering of many urban poor communities. Many have lost their jobs and therefore unable to sustain their lives. But the government has the audacity to remain the same, not spending the budget meant for the people. Their inaction is a big atrocity especially that for many, it spells out the difference between life and death.

At this time of pandemic, the image and concept of the Holy Trinity challenge us to care more and express it in a comprehensible manner. It is also a fitting critique to the indifferent, heartless, incompetent, and calloused response of the Duterte government to the plight of the Filipino people. At times like this when the pull towards isolation is greater than having oneself be of service to others, it is important to reflect how far the Holy Trinity is defying the human logic just to express how they love and care for us. We can do the same: defy the logic of our own selfish interest and have it surrendered to the greater work of justice and peace.

23 May 2021 *Pentecost Solemnity *Wikang Naririnig

Flyd de Castro, United Methodist Church

https://artandtheology.org/2016/05/15/pentecost-art-from-asia/

Mga Awit 104: 1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34
Mga Gawa 2: 1-11
I Corinto 12: 3b-7, 12-13 or Galacia 5: 16-25
Juan 20: 19-23 o Juan 15: 26-27; 16: 12-15

Mga Gawa 2:6 Dahil sa ugong na ito ay nagkatipon ang maraming tao at nagkagulo sapagkat naririnig nila ang bawat isa na nagsasalita sa kani-kanilang sariling wika. (ABBTAG2001)

Sa paglapag ng Banal na Diwa sa mga alagad ni Hesus na magkakasama sa isang lugar, nagsimula nilang maranasan ang kapangyarihang bigay nito. Kabilang dito ay ang kapangyarihang makapagsalita sa iba’t ibang wika.

Nabalisa, namangha at nagtaka (Ang Salita ng Diyos) ang mga taong nakarinig sa mga apostol na nagsasalita sa wika ng mga saksing galing sa iba’t ibang lugar. Nagtatanong, kung paanong naririnig nila ang mga apostol ayon sa wikang kanilang kinagisnan.

Makapangyarihan ang mga salita. Makapangyarihan ang taong may kakayahang iparinig sa iba’t iba o sa mas maraming tao ang kanyang mensahe, pahayag, tindig at panawagan. Mga salita ang ginagamit sa pagtuturo. Mga salita ang ginagamit sa paglalahad ng katotohanan at sa kabilang banda, ang mga salita ay maaaring gamitin para sa mga kasinungalingan. Mahalagang instrumento ang wika sa pagtataguyod at paglago ngunit ito rin ay mapanganib na armas na maaaring gamitin sa pagwasak. Para sa mga saksi sa pangyayari noong araw ng Pentecostes, “naririnig” nila ang mga apostol na “nagsasalita ng mga dakilang bagay ng Diyos”.

Kung babasahin natin ang mga susunod na kwento sa aklat ng Mga Gawa, makikita natin ang iba’t ibang karanasan kung saan ang salita ay ginamit at tinanggap para sa kaligtasan ng marami. Ang mga salita ng Mabuting Balita ang nagbigay pag-asa at nagpabago ng buhay ng mga tao mula sa iba’t ibang lugar at kalagayan. Pero sa kabilang banda, ang parehong mensahe at salita rin ang nagpagalit o nag-trigger sa mga may kapangyarihan. Threat para sa kanila ang salitang nagpapahayag ng pagliligtas ni Yahweh. Subersibo ang mga salita na, kay Hesus ay mayroong muling pagkabuhay, dahil para sa kanila ang mensaheng ito ang magpapahina sa kanilang tindig bilang mga “naghahari-harian”. Kinulong, sinaktan at pinaslang ang mga apostol dahil sa kanilang mga sinalita.

Sa ating panahon na tinatawag na information age, biniyayaan tayo ng platform kung saan maaari nating ihatid ang ating mga salita ng mabilis sa malawak na audience. Sa pamamagitan ng technology, pwede nating i-access at mapakinggan ang sinasabi ng iba’t ibang tao mula sa iba’t ibang lugar – kahit pa magkakasabay. Dahil diyan, maraming mga salita at “wika” ang nag c-compete sa ating atensyon. Tayo mismo ay nakiki-compete minsan sa tinatawag na virtual space. Marami ang gumagawa ng iba’t ibang paraan upang mag-viral ang kanilang posts sa social media. Tila isang fulfilment ang pagkakaroon ng maraming likes at subscribers.

Bilang iglesya, paano natin pinapahayag ang mensahe ni Hesus sa pamamagitan ng “iba’t ibang wika”? Sa “ingay” ng Internet, sino ang nakakarinig sa ating mga sinasalita? Sa gitna ng pandemya na dumating sa atin na lalong nagpahirap sa maraming tao, ano ang silbi ng mga salita ng Mabuting Balita? Mabubusog ba nito ang mga nagugutom at mapapagaling ang mga may karamdaman o gagamitin lang natin ito bilang pampamanhid para sa mga biktima ng hirap, sakit at gutom?

Mahigit isang buwan na ang nakakalipas, may isang larawan ang naging tanyag sa social media. Larawan ito ng ilang pirasong pagkain at ng isang wika, “Magbigay ayon sa kakayahan, kumuha batay sa pangangailangan”. Isang wikang narinig (nabasa) ng maraming saksi. Isang wika na nagbigay pag-asa at liwanag sa mga dukha at ng mga nagpasyang samahan sila sa pagbangon. Wika na nagpagalit din sa mga taong nasa kapangyarihan; galit na hanggang ngayon ay pinipilit bigyan ng katwiran. Sa ating pagtugon, bilang tagasunod ni Hesus, paano maririnig at kanino papanig ang wika natin ngayon?

16 May 2021 *ASCENSION OF THE LORD *Go Out into the World

Cheekai dela Cruz, NCCP

https://christchurchepiscopal.org/the-between-time/

Psalms 47: 2-3, 6-7, 8-9
Acts 1: 1-11
Ephesians 4: 1-13
Mark 16: 15-20

15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.*

The Gospel of Mark is second to the four of the canonical gospels. Mark also ranks to be the oldest and the shortest of the four Gospels in the New Testament, with only 15 chapters– Matthew having 28; Luke with 24 and John-21. Mark was written with simplicity and it tells the ministry of Jesus’ baptism, to his death, burial and the discovery of his empty tomb. Mark exhibits the deeds, strength and the determination of Jesus and gives a clear and powerful picture of his life in defying powers that be, such as the Imperial Rome. It is also said that the Gospel of Mark emphasizes the Passion of Christ, and focuses on the messages of encouragement to Christians in Rome to have faith even amidst persecution.

In its final chapter, Mark begins after the sabbath. It gives us an ending of Jesus showing himself to the Eleven, with a tall order and call to “Go out to the world and proclaim the Good News to all Creation”. This is Jesus’ last appearance to the apostles before his ascension to heaven. This pronouncement of Jesus after his death is the beginning of a new kind of relationship with his disciples– without Jesus being physically present with them.
I imagine the disciples probably feeling sad, and missing him and his physical guidance. But Jesus assures that he will be with them until the end of days. This new loving presence of Jesus Christ (in spirit) with his disciples only brought them renewed strength, joy, and anticipation for the work that is set before them. Jesus’ life and ministries continued through them.

As believers in Christ, we Christians of today must continue what Jesus and his followers at the time has started. A movement that casts out evils and champions rightfulness and truth in our society today. As Christians, we must continue to be examples of Christ’s love for humanity. We must be emboldened to resist, and to proclaim the good news in all the ends of the world, so that God’s love will reign. Jesus assures us that as we go about these things of preaching, and casting out demons, and healing the sick, we are never alone. The struggle for an abundant life as Jesus has promised in John 10:10 is not a personal battle we have to win. It is a collective one that must be celebrated with our fellow Kapwa who believe in the goodness of each other.

Being true to the call of Christ in proclaiming good news to all requires us to work—to open our eyes, and hearts to the situation of our communities today. This pushes us to flex out our muscles and expand our horizon to see the vastness of God’s love in humanity and find loving ways to live and thrive together.

Jesus’ message to proclaim the good news reminds me of the movement of Food Pantries that sprung up in the recent weeks. These food pantries were brought about by the dire situation of our people who are getting hungry everyday due to the lack of ayuda and sound response from the government from the pandemic. I see this growing movement of food pantries as an act of love, and not solely as an act of charity alone. These kindness hubs are but a bold step of our fellow Filipinos to radically take care of each other in the midst of an unloving government, rooted in our very own life-giving values of pakikipagkapwa, pakikiisa at bayanihan.

In the midst of the pandemic where social distancing is a norm, may Jesus’ call to proclaim the good news encourage us to strengthen all the more our social solidarity with each other, especially to the people who needed God the most. May the challenge of Christ to preach the good news and to respond to the call of service to be with the poor and the suffering majority bring us hope and joy, and be faithful in the work that Jesus has commanded us to do.

May we be comforted with the fact that we will have each other’s back no matter what. And that our survival and resurrection rest not on our own volition but with each other and in the loving active arms of our community and collective efforts. Our task to proclaim the good news of salvation is not ours alone. And that salvation is not only for the few, but for the whole world who believe in the beauty of the redeeming work and words of God.

Christ the Risen Lord, compels us to act out of love! May the spirit of Easter continue to be with us as we witness, serve, love and protect—to heal the sick, restore life, and to end oppression.

And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.(Mark 16:19-20)

Prayer:
Our loving God, we thank You for your guidance and for letting us know that you are with us to the end of times. Grant us courage so that we may do Your will. Make us instrument of your peace and move us to action to be of service to the people at the midst the direst of circumstances so that your life and light may be known. Continue to guide us and be with us as we preach your good news that this world desperately needs. AMEN.

May 9, 2021 *Sixth Sunday of Easter*Remain In My Love

Dss. Norma P.Dollaga

http://westportpresbyterian.org/calling-a-loving-community-to-zacks-baptism-sunday-training-prayers/#jp-carousel-2358

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
1 Jn 4:7-10
Jn 15:9-17

Usually, when we talk about justice, we imagine the lamentations, the wails of an angry people seeking for its realization. In contrast when we talk about love, we conjure up images of lesser complication or complexities , but about harmony and blissful condition.

Only those who are capable of true love can fully understand what justice is. And those who are engaged in justice ministry are people full of love. For how can you share your love without justice ? And how can you render justice without love. And so we say that the most loving people are those who are engaged in the struggle for justice.
If God is love , there is no reason for us to believe that God is not the God of justice. Love and Justice are rooted in the very nature of God (Is.40:14). We remain in God’s love as long as we embrace the values of justice.
Justice means to care for the widows, orphans, immigrants, and the poor . (Exodus 22:21-24; Isaiah 1:17) Zechariah 7:9-10a gives an instruction: “This is what the Lord of Armies says: Administer real justice, and be compassionate and kind to each other. Don’t oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and poor people.” Those who have been called “the quartet of the vulnerable.”

Justice is making things right. Usually when we speak of “righteousness” we understand it as a private , personal virtue. However, in the Biblical tradition, righteousness means being in the right relationship with the community and society. When people are poor, oppressed and marginalized, things are not right.

The greatest commandment to love your God is made concrete only when you love your neighbor. The first part, that is to “love God.”

The second part of the commandment is the real verification that faithful ones truly observe the commandment, and thus, “love their neighbor.” This concrete, operational manifestation of faithfulness to God (however one may define God) cannot be subjected to manipulation. Do you love your neighbor?
To love our neighbor is to thirst for justice (Matthew 5:6)

Justice and righteousness are interchangeable. To be just is to be righteous. It is not enough to be good to your neighbor; it is not enough to do no harm to your neighbor. By not taking side of justice one is also doing harm to your neighbour.

When love longs and thirst for justice , that love also feels the pain and agony of seeing the victims of injustice. This love is unyielding, and unbending but to pursue justice.(Deut 16:20). This love is never neutral; takes its bias for what is just, fair, and true.

Loving our neighbor stirs us within as we witness an unjust disparity in the world – the rich grow fatter than usual , while those who are robbed are forced to bear excruciating hunger and poverty.
Loving our neighbor means making sure that justice is done.

Loving one’s neighbor involves a righteous indignation against injustice that causes suffering to its direct victims. It is alarming when humanity starts to be numb and indifferent to the situation of poverty, joblessness, no access to clean water, and basic and social services . The widow in the parable of Jesus, being avid for justice and enraged when justice is denied reveals most fitting acts and instinctive demonstration of love. To be angry against injustice is better than to keep mum about it.

If we love our neighbor, we would not blame the victims of injustice for their predicaments. It is not the sin or the fault of the poor that they are robbed. The victims must not be victimized twice by blaming them.
To do justice is to Love our neighbor.

Justice and love dedicated to our neighbor means to look after those who are made victims by their exploiters and oppressors. We have in Filipino a term for victims of injustice: “hampas-lupa.” – poor people who are considered dust
Loving our neighbor means making sure that justice is done.

2 May 2021* Fifth Sunday of Easter* In The Time of Pandemic and Lockdown, Doing Good Springs from The Heart

Dss. Rubylin G.Litao, Commission on Deaconess Service , Philippines Annual Conference

1 John 3: 18-24

Psalms 22:26-31  

Acts 9: 26-31

John 15:1-8

The lectionary readings for this fifth Sunday after Easter are reminders to the  believers of the resurrection story. We are called to participate to continue the ministry of preaching, healing and helping people as Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord did.  A Sunday school song reminds us that Jesus went about doing good, as showed us how he exemplified his ministry of love, compassion to the poor, marginalized and oppressed peoples in his time:

“Jesus went about doing good, the Bible tells me so…He heals the sick and cures the blind, to little children he was kind. He gave some hungry people food….Jesus went about doing good, the Bible tells me so”

 The disciples took the responsibility and were charged to spread the good news, “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 26: 18-20)

 The disciples followed the great commission “go and make disciples of all nations” and inspired them to reach out and do ministry to people in many places. The book of Acts tells us that this movement continued doing the ministry of preaching, healing and helping people. “The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers.” (Acts 9:31)

 In this time of pandemic, we are witnessing people  how the poor, marginalized and oppressed are  coming together to share their food even amidst their situation of want. They joyfully gave even the littlest of what they have– rice, vegetables, canned goods to the community. Perhaps, we can say that people have big hearts despite being subjected to cruelest realities such as lockdown  without compassion. As people we are collectively  victimized by  the  regime’s “ Kill kill kill”  project  under President Rodrigo Duterte.  Obviously   this is but a manifestation how  unloving the government is  to its citizens. Perhaps, for our people, it is easy to realize that social solidarity thru giving would also mean survival of our communities. People are able to self-organize and to give, and take, and to care for everyone, after all from one year of being wallowed under the pandemic, we only have ourselves to look after us and our communities.

In Spite Hard Times, There We See How the Branches of Vines are Growing   

We thank Patricia Non’s initiative that sparked and inspired people to put up community pantries—all over the Philippines. We also thank its predecessors of community kitchen being set up by various people’s organizations, such as Jory Porquia in Iloilo.  The principle of “get what you need and give what you can” is something not new, but a loving reminder  of one of the  the greatest teachings of the sages and of the early church. Loving our people takes up courage—we just have  to solidarity  happen, and make that known.  We already know that poor people in the communities lack “ayuda” from the government since the pandemic began.  The long queue to the different community pantries shows how poor people are in need for daily food and survival.  We read ordinary people’s stories who after getting food supplies gave P 20 pesos, anything they have to contribute to the pantries in their own little ways; farmers who are also in need share their fresh produce, such as vegetables and root crops to the pantry as gestures of good deed and in the spirit of giving.  Unfortunately, the government and some members of the police forces  question these acts of kindness and giving.

How Do we See the Branches are Growing?

To do good to others will always be positive and will always reap benefits for the people.  The story of the feeding of 5,000 people showed how a child’s offering of bread and fish was presented by Jesus to inspire the people to share meals to others who are hungry. In time of the pandemic, a lot of our community people is like that child– offering whatever we have to the community, especially to those who are hungry, to those that are deprived of ayuda, to those who have been militarized and marginalized. Being kind and doing good for others is the next best thing to do for your neighbor. It tells us, that somehow, humanity is restored even in the midst of economic and health crises, amidst non-accountability by the government, hope in humanity is restored. In a way, sharing what we have with the least of the least is a radical act, and a protest, and glaring reminder that hope is not among those who are in power, but in the lives and hearts of ordinary people.

2 May 2021* Fifth Sunday of Easter*No Branch Can Bear Fruit By Itself

Br. Jonel Dalimag, CICM

Acts 9: 26-31

1 John 3: 18-24

Psalms 22:26-31;  

John 15:1-8

When Nature Teaches Us a Lesson

It is said that ‘experience is a good teacher.’ However, it could also be said that ‘nature is a reliable and formidable teacher.’ When nature teaches us something, it uses its laws which have survived the test of time to make a point. Jesus was very much aware of this in his time. That is why, in the Gospel reading today, he uses the imagery of a tree to describe how our relationship with one another and with God should be. Jesus Christ used the image of a tree and a garden to describe his relationship with his Father in heaven whom he described as a gardener: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” The story and history of our society is likened to a tree. At first, it was just a seedling planted on a fertile soil, needing a lot of water and sunshine, and a lot more cultivating and caring. Then it grew into a strong and majestic tree with lots of formidable branches and lots of fruits. Many other creatures enjoy this majestic strong tree and the tree was very happy. Many admire this tree from within and from afar. But then, as it grew older, some branches eventually became weak and severely damaged. Its beauty is slowly fading. Some of its leaves are already falling. Some new shoots are growing but most are withering out. Its roots are already shaken. It could not stand anymore strong typhoons and strong winds that shake it every now and then. A check-up of this tree is very much needed. It could still be saved from this disaster that it is facing.

Community Pantry Branch

The good news is that there are still branches of our tree that are bearing fruits in abundance. One of these branches is the now strong and majestic Community Pantries. There are now over hundreds of pantries all over the Philippines and there are also many abroad. It all started with the initiative of a concerned citizen Ms. Anne Patricia Non to help her neighbors get through the daily struggle of finding something to eat. From just a seedling, it now grew into a strong branch that is now producing fruits of diverse kinds. This branch of community pantries is producing fruits such as community sharing, community caring, bayanihan spirit and concern for one another. These are the things we rightly need today in this uncertain and difficult time. This branch of community pantries is slowly giving life and majesty to our battered tree. Indeed, “while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful.” The creativity of filipinos is making this initiative more sustainable. The example of the Gulayan ng Bayan pantry, where people are allowed to bring home vegetable seedlings for planting is expanding the reach of this branch so that it could serve more people.

Kindness Station Branch

Another branch that has been very fruitful is the branch of the Kindness Caritas Stations. This was originally conceptualized in Sorsogon by a public-school teacher Maricris Labayandoy. She teamed up with her co-teachers and other volunteers in setting up the first ‘kindness station’ in Buenavista Elementary School in Sorsogon City. During the height of the lockdown in March and April of 2020, food supplies were running out and poor people who have no money to buy food have no access to food supplies. Thus, the wonderful “Kindness Station’ branch grew and bear fruit abundantly. It provided access to food supplies to people in the community. It was a unique food supply chain that was based on generosity, kindness and volunteerism of certain people. When people remain connected to one another, and to God, good things happen: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you… I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” The National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA), also known as Caritas-Philippines, of the CBCP adopted this concept and set up many ‘Kindness Caritas Stations’ in some dioceses around the Philippines to respond to the challenges of the pandemic and the onslaught of calamities and disasters. Since then, the kindness and generosity of people are making our tree of life more strongly rooted.

Promotion and Protection of the Environment

Another branch of our tree that is beaming with fruits and healthy leaves is the newly-found enthusiasm for the environment. Plantitos and plantitas are making the rounds in social media. People are now more aware than before of the good benefits of taking care of the environment. Backyard gardening or pot gardening is providing people with a platform to express their creativity and love for the environment. It provides people with the therapeutic power of nature that we badly need today. When travel restrictions block people from going to natural parks and wonders to relax, social media exploded with photos and videos of beautiful nature scenery that people can enjoy at home. When people start sharing their travel stories and adventures, it gives hope that nature will eventually overcome this pandemic and its adverse effect to our social life. The addition of faith dimension to this hope that nature is providing us keeps us connected to the vine of life: “I am the vine; you are the branches.”

A branch that is thrown away and withers

Despite the presence of these strong and majestic branches of our tree of life, there are also branches that withered and should be cut off and be thrown into the fire. Their leaves are already falling to the ground and its small twigs are already brittle and broken. The first of these branches is the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). Despite its humongous budget and resources, it could not prevent its leaves from falling and its little fruits from being rotten. That is why, it became jealous of the other fruitful branches. Hence, it red-tagged these other branches hoping that they too will wither. However, this move proves to be self-distracting. The move to defund to task force is just proper: “If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”

National Government

Another branch that is not producing fruits according to expectations is the core of the national government. The snail-paced roll out of the vaccines in the country is on top of its rotten fruit. The national government’s dependence on the donation from China of the supply of the vaccines proves that this branch is very much incapable of producing and procuring its own fruits. Its misplaced trust to China is making the entire operation of the national government rotten, broken, withered and should be cut off and be thrown into the fire and burned. Instead of supporting the other fruitful branches, it stifles them, making life difficult for them. What is worst is that the withered broken and rotten branch is the most visible branch of our society’s tree. If only it gives way for these fruitful branches to expand or if only it prunes these fruitful branches so that they will produce more fruits, it could compensate for its infertile and unproductive efforts. May this passage from the Gospel become true in our society today: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” If this happens, then, truly, “The whole world shall praise the Lord” as the psalmist sings.