The theme in this Sunday’s gospel is love. Love of Jesus means keeping His word. Jesus says: “If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him.”
PNoy is being accused by UNA for doing loyalty check. That is PNoy’s political strategy. If you want to preserve your power, do a regular loyalty check. Jesus makes a loyalty check, too. Before Peter was appointed Pope, Jesus checked his loyalty with the straightforward question:“Do you love me?” and he asked Peter three times.
As election is getting close, political fever is also getting high. At this very moment, Jesus is also asking us: “Do you love me? Do you love me more than your political patron?” If we say yes, then just like Peter, Jesus would tell us, “then vote for the love of your children. When we think only of ourselves and the protection and favours promised by powerful but corrupt politicians, , then we have not loved Jesus. Jesus would ask us:“what gifts and how much money should politicians give you so you will vote for them? Are you willing to give all that up in exchange for the salvation that I wish to offer you?”
Jesus continues in the gospel: “Those who do not love me, do not keep my words.” Politicians who cheat in the elections, those who engage in vote buying, and engage in election violence – all for the sake of power - are evil people. They do not love Jesus. They will not listen to the words of Jesus.
However, if there are evil politicians, there are also evil voters. They are those who take advantage of the unjust structures in our society. They are those who connive with these politicians – the bagmen, the handlers, the propagandists. They are those who sell their votes, their principles and their souls to corrupt politicians.
“The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you.” This was the promise of Jesus. The Holy Spirit will guide the apostles and the Christian community to build the Church, and the Magisterium. The social teachings of the Church are fruits of the teachings of the Holy Spirit.
Every time I conduct lectures for voters’ education, a participant would ask: “Who should we vote for?” I tell them point blank: “We will not endorse anyone.” We are not interested in making a particular candidate win. We are interested in you, the voters. We want you to be converted, to change your heart. We will make your mind work. We will open your hearts so you can hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
“Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you.” The peace that the world gives is material contentment, material happiness. We love it when politicians entertain us with lovely dancers. We forget about human suffering when we go to the malls that offer us great discounts. We are lifted from our misery when we watch telenovelas. But that is not the peace that Jesus offers us. He offers us the peace which springs from justice and charity.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” The proliferation of political dynasties is a moral issue. From our common reflection aided by reason and faith, we conclude that the cause of massive poverty is corruption. There is widespread corruption because of political dynasties. Matuwid na Daan, according to our informed conscience, is but a slogan. It cannot be translated into a reality for as long those in government possess an overload of power. This bottomless power is handed down from generation to generation through what we call political dynasty. We are giving out flyers for your reading. Share them to your friends and pray together with our Blessed Mother: “He has cast the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly.” And let us listen to the words of Jesus: “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”
Let us dream that one day, our country shall be healed from a social virus called POLITICAL DYNASTY.
