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In an interview on Bloomberg TV last Wednesday, as reported in another national daily, he made two related comments that could represent important government policy stands. First, regarding China’s increasing aggressive moves against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea; second, about the United States’ repeated assurance of its “iron-clad” defense commitment under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.
The readings for Palm Sunday begin with narrating the triumphant entry of Jesus and His disciples to Jerusalem. According to the story, Passover and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread is coming in two days’ time and a lot of Jews will go up to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast. As observant Jews, Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem in observance of the feast that will take place (John 12: 12-16; Mark 14:1-15). When they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus instructed his two disciples to go to a village where they will find an ass and to bring it to him. Jesus rode on the ass when he entered Jerusalem. The people accompanied him and they held palm branches while crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our Father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!’ (Mark 11:1-10).
Growing up in Sta. Rita, Pampanga, where I was born into a rice-farming family eight decades back, I enjoyed watching seasonal farmworkers do their tasks during the planting and harvesting seasons.
By this time, we, Christians are in meditation as we enter the last week before the Palm Sunday. It is the fifth Sunday of Lent and we begin to anticipate Jesus’ passion and death, before finally, getting to the promise of resurrection. In some traditions, it is called ‘Passion Sunday’ as it marks the final two weeks which ends on Holy Saturday.
The 4th Sunday of Lent is called Laetare Sunday. A Latin word which means rejoice! In the beginning of the Mass, its entrance antiphon acclaims “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful!” This Sunday celebration brings us to hope with anticipation, the great joy of the resurrection… which urges us to enter more deeply into the mystery of God’s love and mercy…”For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.”(John 3:16) The First reading reminds us of God’s mercy when Cyrus, King of Persia became the instrument of salvation for God’s chosen people who were exile in Babylon. The Psalm remembers the tragedy of the exile in Babylon as it evokes sentiments of joy and hope for salvation. In the Second Reading, Paul tells us that God is rich in mercy, and His great love brought us salvation as a gift (taken from the Word in other words).
The season of Lent invites us to commemorate Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. In this holy season, we are called to reflect on Christ, who was beaten by Roman soldiers, humiliated, stripped naked, wounded, hung on a cross, and suffered until death.
“By merely having access to social media, private individuals could publish their thoughts without need of self-policing or adhering to the ethical standard required of the press. As a result, content could be created and shared with abandon, purely for clout for ‘likes’ and even disregard for the truth.”
Tatlumpu’t walong taon matapos ang “People Power” (pati na ang pagtatapos ng aming Batch 1986 noong high school), nakatago pa ang mga medalya at sariwa pa ang alaala ng pakikibaka. Pinakamalaking karangalan ang mamulat sa katotohanan ng karanasan, pati na ang pagsisimula ng pagsisilbi sa bayan. Kumpara sa mga medalya, hinding-hindi ito kukupas.
To recall, the two activists, Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro, both in their early 20s, were kidnapped and held in secret custody for 17 days in September last year. Presented at a press conference purportedly to announce that they had surrendered, the two instead accused the military of abducting them. Taken by surprise, the authorities were shocked into releasing them pronto.
Nauso kamakailan ang mga katagang ‘Kung gusto mong gulatin, manlibre ka!’ ‘Kung gusto mong gulatin, magsimba ka!’ ‘Kung gusto mong gulatin, mag madre ka!’ at kung ano ano pa, pero kung gusto mong talagang magulat, mamalengke ka!
Given the constraints they face, political prisoners deserve our utmost respect for choosing defiance instead of compromise and collaboration with the class enemy. They provide a dignified example of how to live a life devoted to the cause of fighting with the oppressed. Their activism is demonized and criminalized by those who see no evil in the obscene hoarding of the nation’s wealth by the elite and the exploitation of the poor and powerless by those in power.
From the Marcos Martial Law period to 2000, one lawyer was killed each year (18 in 18 years). From 2001 to the present, there have been 204 lawyers killed at a yearly rate of about 8.87.
Some are surprised to hear Jesus begin his ministry with an announcement of a new kingdom. His first public words sound almost like a political announcement: “The kingdom of God has come near!” Is Jesus launching a new political movement, beginning a new social system?
The combined wealth of the world’s very richest dipped by $500 billion in 2023, to $12.2 trillion from $12.7 trillion in March 2022, according to Forbes, whose list of 2,668 billionaires in 2022 also dipped to 2,640.
Juan is just one out of many fisherfolk unable to make a living from the sight that greets them in the morning and lulls them at night. When reclamation started in Manila Bay and in Bulacan Aerotropolis, it meant finding source material for dumping, and there is no need to look farther than Cavite whose coasts are rich in black sand. High in iron content, the black sand can be used for concrete and asphalt production—a vital ingredient for built infrastructure.
In our readings today, we hear stories of callers, seekers, and followers. In the first reading, a rather confused Samuel heard a calling but does not immediately recognize who it was “because the LORD had not revealed anything to him yet.” Discerning the will of God entails li.
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