The Frequency of Earthquakes
It seems these days we hear much about many things - earthquakes, natural disasters, wars, rumors of wars... Not that the earth has changed, mind you. Nor has our human nature attained to the perfection that the LORD, our God, continue to desire for each of us.
If today you hear about them, it is primarily because of the shape of our technology - we are now living in that age where we are truly becoming a highly globalized community.
So we hear about these things from around our world through the lightning fast media of social communication and we worry about the perilous state of our nations. And rightly so. We attempt to relate these events to the signs of the times as we ought who are vigilant. But still we fail to locate in ourselves a personal sense of responsibility for these events - these are indeed signs of our times.
You see, my friends, we have an innate tendency to view and interpret these disasters as largely natural, completely apart or even wholly divine. So far as these earthquakes, violent weather, wars and rumors of wars are concerned, it is the earth all around ourselves that is changing or that it is God alone Who is causing all these evil.
But the painful and honest truth of the matter is that they all have man-made roots as well. The world is indeed taking its natural course - but that is because we are letting it happen, we who are not of this world yet who are still in the world, have forgotten our most basic call - that of an authentic human citizenship to all of creation.
Nobody but God knows the hour of the end. But the seasons of the skies above our souls are ever always ours to perceive. These inward seasons correctly perceived allows us to sense and to understand the approach of those things that lead us unto the breaking of the dawn.
But the painful and honest truth of the matter is that they all have man-made roots as well. The world is indeed taking its natural course - but that is because we are letting it happen, we who are not of this world yet who are still in the world, have forgotten our most basic call - that of an authentic human citizenship to all of creation.
Nobody but God knows the hour of the end. But the seasons of the skies above our souls are ever always ours to perceive. These inward seasons correctly perceived allows us to sense and to understand the approach of those things that lead us unto the breaking of the dawn.
And all things towards that great and final Day of the LORD when all true things will receive once again their original beginnings.
For the LORD indeed permits a certain amount of evil in our lives and in our world but only for causes that are consistent with His unchanging nature. When God allows evil, it is only to extract from it a greater, brighter, nobler good.
It should move us to act and overcome inaction.
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A Personal Commentary on Recent Events
I do not understand the needless clamor that was recently raised about Mar Roxas accompanying PNoy to Indonesia and Singapore. Kuya Mar is a Filipino citizen and has an equal obligation to help prosper our national interests - especially in concert with the efforts of our Responsible State i.e. the current administration of our President Noy.
He should be praised for his enthusiasm and effort. He even paid for his own way, mind you.
I commend our Vice President, Jojo Binay, for his great and abiding sense of national community. He has recently manifested a willingness to work with Mar Roxas on some pressing issues of national concern. His manifest willingness to work across political lines leaves a warm smile in my heart of hearts.
I support the efforts of our new AFP Chief, Lt. Gen. Eduardo Oban, Jr. A lot of commentators do not perceive the potential of his term. They also neglect to understand that the military victory is a lineage. The AFP vision follows this lineage - Nine months is plenty of time to re-constitute a decisive sense of moral clarity and a culture of victory in our profession of arms. It was already ours to begin with.
It is clear to me that PNoy chose Gen. Oban because of the right things - I trust our C-in-C just as I trust his father before him whose legacy gives me strength.
In contrast with mockers and detractors, I know and I trust that our new AFP Chief will be able to add valuable momentum into our efforts to strengthen and evolve our AFP institution into a 21st Century national military force.
I support the civilian commission of Lt. Gen. Ricardo David as head of our Immigration Bureau. The crime of Human Trafficking is especially abominable. It preys on the authentic hopes of our fellow Filipino compatriots. It is one of the things that keep me up at night. I am glad that a true patriot is on the watch.
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Let us continue to pray for peace in Libya.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! God bless us all.