WHAT can I say to you, my dear readers, during this Holy Week?
I cannot ask you to be holier than you are now.
I cannot ask you to pray more than how much you have been praying these past few days.
I cannot ask you to be more patient.
Or understanding of others.
Especially of our leaders’ incompetence.
Especially if you see how incompetent they really are.
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I cannot ask you to turn a blind eye to the social injustice.
Because
Jesus Christ, who we celebrate this Holy week, came exactly to help you see the
injustice in this world.
Jesus wanted you to stand for the right.
Jesus wanted you to right the wrong.
To make a statement
Even if it means your crucifixion.
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If you still haven’t been praying for our frontliners—
Our hardworking, and highly at risk healthcare workers,
And our considerate law enforcers, and peacekeepers
(Except the stupid who would rather shoot than show compassion and humane understanding.)
And our small people who do the unseen jobs of creating, supplying, and delivering the basic commodities that we need,
And our true-hearted, proactive, and high functioning public servants
(Except the insecure and psychotic attention-seekers who only want more power, more position, more pogi points, more blind loyalty from their stupid diehards.)
If you haven’t been praying for the real frontliners, well, may God have mercy on your soul.
Because I cannot find it in my heart to pray for you at this time.
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It’s my Holy Week, too.
But I have been praying and reflecting long before these lockdowns began.
I have been slowed down, self-quarantined.
Been examining my soul.
Reviewing my life.
I have made peace with people.
Made my peace with the world.
Ready to die if it is my time.
So yeah, I can say what I want to say.
And say only what’s true.
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I have moved on to reflect more than just about myself, and my existence.
I have actually thought about my society, my community, my people, my planet.
And you, my dear readers.
I have thought about your panic.
Your anxiety and mass hysteria.
Your initial stubbornness to self-quarantine.
Your growing restlessness in the lockdown.
And helplessness.
Your real fears for food shortage.
Your anxiety over jobs, and salaries.
Your real financial worries, and obligations.
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And what have I learned?
Prayer.
Real prayer helps.
It calms down the spirit.
It comforts, and gives hope.
It prepares for our surrender to God’s power.
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But it should be prayers that forget about ourselves.
Prayers that are bigger than our own needs.
Prayers that aren’t selfish, not self-centered.
But you need to calm down, slow down.
Really go past beyond your hunger, and anger, and fear.
Pray from the position of loving.
Pray from the real goodness of your heart.
Pray as if the world was ending. (500tinaga@gmail.com/PN)
