Quarantined Wayfarer

Tag: Common Good

Vox Populi, Vox Dei
Typical scenario in a rally for the presidential race. Photo library of TalinMan, 2022
The last three months have simply been a dizzying campaign period for the presidency. Interestingly, we’ve seen a plethora of political styles ranging from the traditional to the more contemporary with particular emphasis on social media. Moreover, it’s been quite interesting to observe the contrasting rhetorics by which the contenders have tried to woo their electorate. Be that as it may, at the end of the day only the numbers will determine the fate of the would-be presidential elect. Hence, the principle – vox populi, vox Dei – will hold sway.
Based on unofficial results provided by the COMELEC, it appears that Mr. Bongbong Marcos, son of Ferdinand Marcos, a former dictator deposed in 1986, may be the apparent winner, leading with a landslide vote of 31 million. Whilst I may be a bit disappointed that my choice is lagging behind, I nevertheless have to respect the results of the national election. Vox populi, Vox Dei!
Inalienable Right
I submit that the right to suffrage is an inalienable right. As to what the final outcome will be, there is no other choice but to accept the voice of the people. After all, vox populi, vox Dei takes primacy in any democracy. Hence, to the would-be winner of the presidential elections, I hereby reserve my congratulatory note.
Unsolicited Advice
To the would-be President, I wish you well in your public service endeavor. If I may, I sincerely wish to share for your success St. Josemaria Escriva’s commentary in point no. 48 of The Way, which reads:
48
“You lack character. What a mania for interfering in everything ! You are bent on being the salt of every dish. And — you won’t mind if I speak clearly — you haven’t the qualities of salt: you can’t be dissolved and pass unnoticed, as salt does.
You lack a spirit of sacrifice. And you abound in a spirit of curiosity and ostentation.”
St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, #48
A Servant Leader
Viewed in a constructive way, the message of St. Josemaria provides a clear picture of how a leader ought not to be. Clearly, he wants to point out the importance of having a spirit of sacrifice for the motherland, coupled with a disdain for the spirit of curiosity and ostentation. In a word, it points to harnessing the virtues of a servant leader.
Quo Vadis? To Take the High Road or the Low Road?
Given that this recent election has driven a wedge of disunity amongst the Filipino people, it behooves all of us to ask the existential question: Quo Vadis? Where do we go from here?
Without a doubt, the answer is to take the high road. Indeed,there is no other choice lest one falls into despair. Obviously, the right thing to do is to work for solidarity and the common good.
At this juncture, I wish to highlight some points in my blog entitled “To Take the High Road or the Low Road”, dated October 11, 2020, which I find apropos to the present situation. In a nutshell, these are the highlights:
The High Road: A Call for Heroism
The havoc that has been wrought by the Pandemic as well as the divisiveness engendered by the recent elections have only made it more urgent that we rethink our style of life, our relationships, the hierarchal structure of our society, and, above all, the meaning of our existence.
For the sake of the common good, we need to rise above our human frailties and shine forth as heroes by dint of self-sacrifice. We need to feel the grief and suffering of those in the fringes of society. This should move us to be sensitive to the needs of our bretheren who have less in life.
Be a Good Samaritan or a Bystander
In rallying everyone to take the high road, Pope Francis points out that the social milieu of today may be likened to the characters in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. He said: “Each day we have to decide whether to be Good Samaritans or indifferent bystanders. And if we extend our gaze to the history of our own lives and that of the entire world, all of us are or have been, as each of the characters in the parable. All of us have in ourselves something of the wounded man, something of the robber, something of the passers-by, and something of the Good Samaritan.”¹Hence, the Pope asks: “Which of these characters do you resemble? We need to acknowledge that we are constantly tempted to ignore others, especially the weak. Let us admit that…we have become accustomed to looking the other way, passing by, ignoring situations until they affect us directly.”²
Furthermore, the Pope continues: “the parable eloquently presents the basic decision we need to make in order to rebuild our wounded world. In the face of so much pain and suffering, our only course is to imitate the Good Samaritan. Any other decision would make us either one of the robbers or one of those who walked by without showing compassion for the sufferings of the man on the roadside. The parable shows us how a community can be rebuilt by men and women who identify with the vulnerability of others, who reject the creation of a society of exclusion and act instead as neighbors, lifting up and rehabilitating the fallen for the sake of the common good. At the same time, it warns us about the attitude of those who think only of themselves and fail to shoulder the inevitable responsibilities of life as it is.”³
To Be a Protagonist
In essence, each one of us is a protagonist in this COVID-19 pandemic and this post-election scenario. We cannot shirk from responsibility. One’s choice of action, on a daily basis, would have implications as to the final outcome of this crisis. As the Pontiff emphatically said: ”The pandemic is changing the world and putting us in crisis. It is impossible to emerge from a crisis the same as before. Either we come out better or we come out worse. And how we emerge depends on the decisions we make during the crisis.”⁴
To Take the High Road
Indeed, we need to come out of this crisis better. Otherwise, we fail and come out worse. Therefore, it behooves us to take the high road of greater sacrifice. After all, as each of us commits to exert one’s best efforts each day, then, we can only rest assured that it will ultimately foster solidarity and contribute to the common good.
Fall in Love and It Will Decide Everything
Finally, I would like to share with you a quotation, which hopefully will inspire you to take the high road, to wit:
“What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything”.⁵ This love for God, that can approach everything in life with passion, is possible thanks to the Spirit, for “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5).
Pope Francis, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Christus Vivit, 132
TalinMan
1. Pope Francis, Encyclical Letter, Fratelli Tutti, 69
2. Ibid, 64
3. Ibid, 67
4. Interview of Pope Francis, Carmen Magallon, Il Mio Papa
5. Pedro Arrupe SJ, Enamórate
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May 19, 2022
We Have Hit the Wall.
The Wailing Wall of Jerusalem, Photo library of TalinMan
Today marks the 588th day of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite having the longest-running lockdown, the Philippines nevertheless garnered the lowest rank at # 121 in the recent Nikkei Asia Recovery Index. Sadly, it seems that we have hit the wall.
For more than 19 months now, this pandemic has reached crisis proportions. Almost everyone is languishing and experiencing “existential burnout.” According to Margaret Wehrenberg in her book “Pandemic Anxiety: Fear, Stress, and Loss in Traumatic Times”, we should not be surprised at all. She said, “A year of uncertainty, of being whipsawed between anxiety and depression, of seeing expert predictions wither away and goalposts shift, has left many people feeling that they are existing in a kind of fog, the world shaded in gray.” Clearly, we have hit the wall.
Disparate Demographic Trends
Interestingly, the pandemic crisis has induced some divergent demographic trends, which are rather surprising. For example, in America, Jonathan Wolfe, an NYT reporter, writes: “Over the last 19 months, an outsized number of Americans have left cities, their marriages, and organized religion. Some have recently tried dumping social media. It seems that many see 2021 as a year to finally leave pre-pandemic lives behind and embrace the idea of a fresh start.”
Moreover, Wolfe remarks, “Perhaps the most pronounced example is what economists are calling “The Great Resignation.” In August, a record 4.3 million Americans left their jobs — the highest number in the two decades the government has been keeping track. Across industries including health care, education, retail, food services, and child care, people are saying goodbye to their employers, sometimes even walking out in the middle of a shift.”
In contrast, however, in the Philippines, many have lost their jobs involuntarily. The jobless are at their wit’s end, scrounging for any means of livelihood to feed their families. Based on a national survey conducted by Social Weather Station, 4.2 million Filipinos experienced hunger in May this year. Sadly, this pandemic has further widened the income gap between the 1st world countries and the rest of the world.
Faith & Hope in Tandem
And yet, amidst the gloomy atmosphere, however, it seems that the whole of humankind is desperately searching deep in their hearts for the meaning of life. Indeed, it’s time to dig into the dusty bin of one’s inner spirit. For some, they would discover new insights from old gospel values and beliefs. For others, they would simply shrug their shoulders in total despondency. Indeed, they have hit the wall.
As a possible remedy, St. Paul in his letter to the Romans provides insightful advice, as follows:
“We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.”
Rom 8:22-25, NAB
Indeed, hope springs eternal. It engenders the human spirit to persevere and endure the pains of this pandemic. We only need to rekindle in our hearts our divine predilection, being the children of God. As St. Paul would put it, “we know that all things work for good for those who love God.”Rom 8:28
The Common Good and Solidarity
Whilst faith and hope may ignite the fire of perseverance and fortitude to forge ahead with optimism, it would be foolhardy to remain ensconced in the comforts of one’s abode. Such a closed-in way of life would eventually succumb to a downward spiral into a counterproductive life, which would ultimately lead to sadness and isolation.
On the contrary, one would need to discern the needs of society and learn to adapt to the dictates of the circumstances. Such an attitude would certainly foster an outward-looking lifestyle. This, in turn, would lend itself to the development of initiatives meant for the common good.
A classic example of this inclusive outlook is the phenomenon of the community pantry, which spread like wildfire nationwide during the height of the first wave of attack of the COVID-19. This was inspired by a simple young lady, Anna “Patreng” Non, who started the first prototype – the Maginhawa Community Pantry. Today, thousands of community pantries nationwide provide food to the hungry.
Finally, whilst the road ahead appears foggy and fraught with uncertainty, it would be worthwhile to keep in mind a maxim composed by St. Josemaria during the Spanish civil war of 1936-39, as follows:
40
“Faith, joy, optimism. But not the folly of closing your eyes to reality.”
St. Josemaria Escriva, the way, 40
TalinMan
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October 25, 2021
Election Fever Arising
COMELEC POSTER 2021
With the national elections being some nine months away, the noise level of political chatter is slowly but surely percolating once again. Indeed, election fever is arising. For the Filipinos, the year 2022 portends a breath of fresh air for a nation that has been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the election fever arising quite earlier than expected, social media is nonetheless abuzz with speculations on who would be the possible contenders for the presidential race. Unsurprisingly, the ruling party is already sending out feelers in social media on its prospective presidential and senatorial endorsees. Obviously, the mandate is pointing to a nominee successor, who is the direct kin of the incumbent President.
A Left Field Contender
Interestingly, amidst such media murmurings, a left-field contender openly declares his intention to run as a presidential candidate. Whilst considered as a political newbie, the man possesses an extraordinarily high EQ, which could turn into a groundswell. Could this be the tipping point that would rise to the challenge of lifting the Filipino people out of its dire straits?
For some political pundits, a regime change would be a welcome development. For the longest time, Philippine politics has been marked by popular votes and dynastic rule. Sadly, the political parties leave much to be desired in espousing ideological agendas. Partisan politics continues to dominate the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. Presently, the political milieu still favors political patronage rather than politics based on ethical principles.
Aspirants for the Elections
In his classic book, The Way, St. Josemaria Escriva has this to say, as a reminder, to those politicians aspiring for the next elections:
37
You have, as they say,”the gift of gab”. But in spite of all your talk, you can’t get me to justify – by calling it “providential” – what has no justification.
St. Josemaria escriva, The Way, 37
Harsh as it may be, the words of St. Josemaria are meant to drive home a point, that is, the importance of practicing the virtue of sincerity. This takes on a special significance especially when the politicians embark on the campaign trail. Normally, those aspiring for government election spend much time promising voters the “sun, moon, and the stars”. This is tantamount to “starting on the wrong foot”. On the contrary, it makes good sense to “say what you mean and mean what you say”.
An Agenda for an Integral Ecology
Speaking about political agendas, one of the most paramount reforms needed in government policy is that of the environment. According to Germanwatch.org, the Philippines was ranked second in the Global Climate Risk Index 2020. Historically, the country has been regularly ravaged by extreme weather conditions in addition to natural catastrophes.
In crafting the political agenda on the environment, it may be good to take time out to consider the Encyclical Letter, Laudato Si’ written by the Holy Father, Pope Francis. In essence, it voices out the urgent appeal of the Pope to men and women of goodwill, including politicians as well, to get involved in the development of an integral ecology.
“A technological and economic development which does not leave in its wake a better world and an integrally higher quality of life cannot be considered progress. Frequently, in fact, people’s quality of life actually diminishes – by the deterioration of the environment, the low quality of food or the depletion of resources – in the midst of economic growth.”
Pope Francis, Encyclical Letter, Laudato Si’, 194
To the aspiring politicians, the Holy Father exhorts you to set aside short-term legislations geared toward quick short-term gains. Rather, the Pope says further that “What is needed is a politics which is far-sighted and capable of a new, integral and inter-disciplinary approach to handling the different aspects of the crisis. Often, politics itself is responsible for the disrepute in which it is held, on account of corruption and the failure to enact sound public policies.” (LS, 197)
The Principle of the Common Good
The main driver for the development of an integral ecology hinges on the principle of the common good. By definition, the common good is “the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their individual members relatively thorough and ready access to their own fulfillment”.[GS,26) Its primary object is directed towards the overall welfare of society and the development of a variety of intermediate groups, applying the principle of subsidiarity.
Furthermore, the common good calls for social peace. This refers to the stability and security provided by a certain order that promotes distributive justice. Whenever this is violated, violence always ensues. Society as a whole, and the state, in particular, are obliged to defend and promote the common good. (LS, no.157)
Finally, an extension of the common good is the notion that future generations are entitled to share in God’s gift to humankind. Hence, in pursuing a vision of integral ecology, the Holy Father emphatically states that “we can no longer view reality in a purely utilitarian way, in which efficiency and productivity are entirely geared to our individual benefit. Intergenerational solidarity is not optional, but rather a basic question of justice, since the world we have received also belongs to those who will follow us.”(LS, no.159)
Moving Ahead
In closing, it is my fervent hope that the contenders will launch their election campaign based on their respective visions of a better tomorrow underpinned by the principles of the common good, solidarity, and respect for the human dignity of the Filipino people.
TalinMan
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August 2, 2021
Seeking the Common Good
The Western Wall, Jerusalem, Photo Library of TalinMan 2019
In the Courtyard of San Damaso yesterday, Pope Francis addressed his audience about the importance of seeking the common good. He lamented that this pandemic has exposed the emergence of partisan interests, which threaten to widen the gap between the haves and the have nots.
In seeking the common good, the Pontiff mentioned that: “the Christian response to the pandemic and to the consequent socio-economic crisis is based on love, above all, love of God who always precedes us¹. And the highest point of holiness, let’s put it that way, is to love one’s enemies which is not easy. I would say it is even an art! But an art that can be learned and improved.”
Pope Francis: Seek the Common Good
In essence, Pope Francis’ message was a clarion call for one and all to seek the common good in order to put an end to this crisis. To attain it, a “bottom up” approach is necessary. It would have to start from the individual level, that is, one by one, each one learning to give love to the other. Then, gradually, the love among individuals shall flourish into love for the community, growing eventually into love for the common good of the nation.
The bottom line, therefore, is upon each and everyone’s choice: to correspond or not to the call to love. This, in fact, is the essence of holiness: the struggle to be a saint. On a practical note, I would like to share with you a point in the book, The Way, authored by St. Josemaria, as follows:
Point no. 20
“You have clashes of character with other people . . . That kind of thing is inevitable: you’re not a gold coin that everyone likes.
Besides, without those clashes produced by your contact with your neighbor, how would you lose the rough edges and jagged points – the imperfections and defects – of your temper, so as to acquire the regular, polished and firmly gentle form of charity, of perfection?
If your character and the characters of those who live with you were soft and sweet like meringues, you would not become a saint.”
St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way
Clashes of Character
Based on Point no. 20 above, expect clashes of character to emerge, specially, during this time of enforced home isolation. Certainly, couples or family members living together for long periods of quarantine may experience higher incidence of frictions. Tight living quarters may even exacerbate physical conflicts . Nonetheless, it is precisely in this battlefront that holiness awaits us.
Occasions for Growth
Precisely, such harsh living conditions should be looked upon not as problems but rather as occasions for growing in charity. Instead of complaining about the meals, one could complement instead the efforts of the spouse in taking time out to prepare and cook the meal. Instead of being irritated with the other person’s actuations, one could practice being more patient and understanding with the other. Indeed, it may be difficult but one can always start by sacrificing or practicing self-restraint.
Little Acts of Love
Whilst practicing charity in small things may seem trivial, one will be pleasantly surprised that those little acts of love and kindness which were done little by little and day by day shall blossom into solid virtues in time. This is why it is important to practice the good acts frequently in order that the same may become habits, which, in the long run, become embedded in one’s heart.
Of course, as human beings are not perfect, there will be times when one will fail or overlook to act charitably. In such a case, the best thing to do is to begin and begin again.
Finally, I would like to share with you some inspiring words of St. Josemaria, as follows:
Conversion is the task of a moment; sanctification is the work of a lifetime. The divine seed of charity, which God has sown in our souls, wants to grow, to express itself in action, to yield results which continually coincide with what God wants. Therefore, we must be ready to begin again, to find again – in new situations – the light and the stimulus of our first conversion. And that is why we must prepare with a deep examination of conscience, asking our Lord for his help, so that we’ll know him and ourselves better. If we want to be converted again, there’s no other way.
St. Josemaria Escriva, Christ is Passing By, 58
TalinMan
¹Jn 4:19
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September 10, 2020