Survey results show that more Filipinos agree that it is dangerous to publish or broadcast anything unfavorable against the Marcos Jr. administration
LiCAS News May 10, 2023
At least 47 percent, or nearly half of adult Filipinos, think that it is dangerous to criticize the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., says a survey by Social Weather Stations (SWS) released on Tuesday, May 9.
Survey results show that more Filipinos agree that it is dangerous to publish or broadcast anything unfavorable against the Marcos Jr. administration (47%) than those who said they were undecided (27%) or disagreed (26%).
In a statement, SWS said the survey, which was conducted in December last year, is part of its monitoring of Filipinos’ quality of life.
“This year’s special 30th-anniversary celebration of World Press Freedom Day (on May 1) calls to recenter press freedom, as well as independent, pluralistic, and diverse media, as key to the enjoyment of all other human rights,” read the pollster’s statement.
The survey found 47% of adult Filipinos agreeing (19% strongly agree, 28% somewhat agree), 27% undecided, and 26% disagreeing (14% somewhat disagree, 12% strongly disagree) that “It is dangerous to print or broadcast anything critical of the administration, even if it is the truth.”
The resulting net agreement score of +20 (% agree minus % disagree, correctly rounded), classified by SWS as moderate, is 4 points below the moderate +24 (46% agree, 22% disagree) in December 2021.
Net danger in publishing things critical of the administration falls in all areas except in Mindanao
Net agreement that “It is dangerous to print or broadcast anything critical of the administration, even if it is the truth” was highest in Metro Manila (+28), followed by the Visayas (+23), Balance Luzon (+21), and Mindanao (+13).
Compared to December 2021, the net agreement score fell from strong to moderate in Metro Manila, down from +41 (59% agree, 18% disagree) to +28 (53% agree, 25% disagree).
It also fell from strong to moderate in the Visayas, down from +36 (54% agree, 18% disagree) to +23 (47% agree, 25% disagree, correctly rounded).
It stayed moderate in Balance Luzon, hardly moving from +23 (44% agree, 21% disagree) to +21 (46% agree, 26% disagree, correctly rounded).
However, it rose from neutral to moderate in Mindanao, up from +7 (36% agree, 28% disagree, correctly rounded) to +13 (43% agree, 29% disagree, correctly rounded).
Net danger in publishing things critical of the administration stayed moderate in all educational levels except among college graduates.
The Doability, Justness, and Urgency of Living Wage
Church People-Workers Solidarity (CWS) joins the millions of workers worldwide in commemorating the Labor Day. CWS pays tribute to the working class who, for centuries, continues to advance the cause of workers for dignified labor despite various forms of state repression. This Labor Day 2023, CWS strongly emphasizes the justness, urgency, and doability of living wage in the midst of economic hardships. Therefore, CWS supports the clamor of labor unions in the country for a substantial wage increase.
The Doability of Living Wage
The minimum wage of many Filipino families has been long insufficient for a decent living. A raise has been a must. This will not only benefit the workers and their families but also the economy. CWS supports bills filed by the Makabayan bloc and other lawmakers for a substantial wage increase. House Bill no. 7568 proposed for a P750 wage increase, while Senator Miguel Zubiri’s Senate Bill No. 2002 seeks for P150 increase. CWS also supports initiatives by progressive labor groups to demand for wage increase. The coalition Unity for Wage Increase Now! (UWIN) filed a petition to increase NCR minimum wage to P1,100 for non-agricultural workers. In CALABARZON, the Workers Initiative for Wage Increase (WIN4WIN) petitioned for an increase to P750.
Moreover, CWS supports the proposal that the government shall provide wage subsidies for micro-businesses. Revenues for wage subsidies can be generated by taxing the super-rich and the biggest corporations. Big companies and top billionaires have long benefited from workers’ productivity which earned them billions of profits. A wealth tax, for example, on 2,495 billionaires can contribute to P469 billion. Wage increase creates a strong economic multiplier effect. The additional income allows the workers and their families to buy more. Filipino families spend about 43% of their income on food. Spending more money can increase demand, which in turn can boost local businesses, employment, and economic activity.
The Justness of Living Wage
Living wage is necessary and just. A just wage (living wage, family wage, fair wage, or just compensation), is fundamental to Catholic Social Teaching for it is closely linked to human dignity. Based on this dignity, workers have a legitimate claim to those essential material goods that meet basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, health, education, security, and rest. Pope Leo XIII, in his Encyclical “Rerum Novarum”, asserts that justice, rooted in human dignity, meant that a just wage is one that allows a worker and family to live in “reasonable and frugal comfort” (#34). St. John Paul II, in his encyclical “Centesimus Annus”, considers a just wage as a “legitimate fruit of work” and to refuse or withhold it “can be a grave injustice” (#15). Pope Francis, for his part, emphasizes that a just wage should not be divorced from the workers demand for “three Ts”: Trabajo (work), Techo (housing), and Tierra (land and food). In the end, it is work that gives the human person dignity.
While many of these festivals have religious beginnings they are now becoming secular and are being promoted as tourist attractions
Dancers from the province of Isabela perform during the annual Aliwan Festival in Manila, which depicts various religious celebrations in the country, in 2017. (File Photo by Jhun Dantes)
LiCAS News May 9, 2023
Many towns and villages in the Philippines are now in the thick of celebrating Flores de Mayo (Flowers of May), a centuries-old Catholic festival in honor of the Virgin Mary held during the month of May.
People from different parishes gather colorful flowers to decorate their churches. Streets are lined with buntings and community games and parades are held, complete with brass bands.
The Flores de Mayo is capped by the Santacruzan (Festival of the Holy Cross), a religious festival commemorating the finding, according to legend, of the Holy Cross in Jesus Christ’s Calvary by Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great.
Townsfolk choose the prettiest ladies, dress them in gowns and hold a procession before a night Mass at the local church. The town mayor usually sponsors the event, sometimes hosting a dinner party.
While parish priests are involved in planning and preparation of the annual activities, the Church does not necessarily endorse loud and lavish activities.
Monsignor Andy Valera of the Diocese of Malolos in the northern province of Bulacan said there are two kinds of fiesta celebrations, the secular and the religious.
An example of secular fiesta in the province is the Buntal Hat in Baliuag town celebrated every second week of May.
The festival is designed to promote the industry of hat making from buri palm leaves. It is usually highlighted by a showcase of a giant buntal hat measuring two meters in diameter, and more than a meter in height.
For the second type, Monsignor Valera cited the annual Fertility Dance festival in Obando town and the Kneeling Carabao (water buffalo) festival in Pulilan town.
An image of the Blessed Virgin Mary is crowned in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Quezon City during the culmination of the celebration of the Flores de Mayo in 2021. (Photo by Jire Carreon)
The Obando Fertility Dance Festival is famous for married women who want to have a child. It is held for three days from May 17 to 19.
“It is religious in the sense that fertility dance are done with prayers,” Monsignor Valera said.
He added that even movements of dancers and participants are similar to biblical dances recorded in the Old Testament, like the dance of King David.
“It has religious meanings like the dance of King David,” Monsignor Valera said, noting that if a woman wanted a child, her hand movements are toward her.
He said a family friend who wanted to have a child once went to Switzerland for medical treatment but failed. He said his father advised the friend to join the annual fertility dance and a year later, the wife got pregnant.
At least two priests have written separate theses on the religious side of Obando Fertility Dance festival, he said.
The Kneeling Carabao Festival, on the other hand, is held on May 14 in honor of St. Isidore of Labrador, the patron saint of farmers.
Monsignor Valera said training carabaos to kneel in front of the church is the farmers’ way of expressing gratitude to God for a yearlong bountiful harvest.
By Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, May 3, 2023 / 02:21 am
Pope Francis said Wednesday that freedom is under threat in Europe as people choose consumerism and individualism over building families and community.
Even today, “freedom is under threat,” he said May 3. “Above all with kid gloves, by a consumerism that anesthetizes, where one is content with a little material well-being and, forgetting the past, one ‘floats’ in a present made to the measure of the individual.”
“This is the dangerous persecution of modernity that advances consumerism,” he underlined.
Pope Francis blesses a rosary after his general audience on May 3, 2023. | Daniel Ibanez/CNA
“But when the only thing that counts is thinking about oneself and doing what one likes, the roots suffocate,” he warned. “This is a problem throughout Europe, where dedicating oneself to others, community feeling, the beauty of dreaming together and creating large families are in crisis. All of Europe is in crisis.”
Philippine bishops at the International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu in January 2016. The Catholic Church in the country has been dealing with the issue of child abuse by clergy for decades. (Photo: Mark Saludes/ UCAN files)
Crossing the Line Rev. Fr. Shay Cullen, S.S.C.M.E. Published: April 26, 2023 03:37 AM GMT
Priests and religious are bound to obey their conscience and the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
The latest and most shocking investigation into sexual abuse by Catholic priests has been released in the United States. Hundreds of victims in the Archdiocese of Baltimore have come forward to report their suffering and Archbishop William E. Lori has issued a statement of apology.
The report released on April 5 by Maryland Attorney-General Anthony Brown revealed 156 priests abused more than 600 children since the 1940s through 2002 “while the archdiocese leadership looked the other way.”
“Time and again, members of the Church’s hierarchy resolutely refused to acknowledge allegations of child sexual abuse for as long as possible,” the report said.
The situation in Asian Churches today is not different from what is acknowledged in the Baltimore archdiocese.
In the US, Attorney-General Brown set up a website and a call center to get victims to come forward and hundreds did. However, no such historical research or investigation has ever been done in Asia, particularly the Philippines, by the Church to reach out to the victims and bring clerical sex abusers to account and justice.
There appears to be no change in the policy of the Philippine Church, as Cardinal Archbishop Antonio Tagle told the BBC some years ago that child sexual abuse in the Church is a private internal matter.
“The victims get no therapy, no help, no Good Samaritan to heal and help them”
But there is a big change in the Philippine judiciary. Some priests accused of child abuse are facing the court process even if their alleged crimes were covered up by some bishops.
A Catholic priest accused of multiple rape and sexual assault crimes against a 15-year-old church volunteer is facing justice in Cagayan province. Father Karole Reward Israel is in jail, with no bail.
Father Conrad Mantac was arrested in Saga City in March this year for the alleged rape of a 17-year-old choir member.
A Negros Occidental priest Father Aron Buenacosat was arrested and charged with the alleged rape of a child, only four years old, in February.
We see hope in the Philippine judiciary that is acting on Christian convictions and principles and is more determined to bring healing through justice for the child victims. Hopeful, the clerics and bishops will hand over the pedophile priests to be held accountable and not hide them away in retreat houses and therapy shelters in the false hope of curing them.
The victims get no therapy, no help, no Good Samaritan to heal and help them.
Therapy shelters for pedophiles to avoid justice and accountability will never work nor cure them. The Philippine law is clear — to molest a child 16 years or younger is statutory rape.
Pedophilia is like an addiction, the abuser just has to abuse children to satisfy his sexual desires and urges. Bishops who hide priests away in a shelter are protecting pedophiles and denying justice to the victims. That is a crime in itself, for it amounts to aiding and abetting a criminal.
The children victimized have cried in silence and suffered all their lives with the stigma and pain of having been raped and abused without help or justice. Fear and intimidation prevent children or their parents from reporting clerical child abuse.
Clerical abusers have powerful friends that can pressure judges and prosecutors but the judiciary must stand strong and do justice according to the law.
“One protective bishop called a child abuser priest ‘his son'”
More recently, the prosecutors are petitioning the judges to refer vulnerable children to protective homes where they are healed and empowered.
There are about 10,000 priests in the Philippines for a population of 110 million, many of them Catholics. I’ve never heard in my 53 years here of a priest reporting child abuse by a fellow priest.
One protective bishop called a child abuser priest “his son.”
Pope Francis called them otherwise. “Often, behind their boundless amiability, impeccably activity, and angelic faces, they shamelessly conceal a vicious wolf ready to devour innocent souls,” he said in his Christmas message.
Faith in Jesus of Nazareth is not so much in dogmas, rites, and rituals. It is acting on the belief that goodness, truth and love of neighbor will overcome evil.
How heinous it is when the abuse is done by a cleric who is supposed to represent the values of Jesus of Nazareth but instead betrays them.
This is the challenge facing the People of God: to be a person of integrity, have true faith in standing against evil, and help our neighbor as did the Good Samaritan.
Archbishop-elect Julius Tonel of Zamboanga pledges to promote dialogue between Christians and Muslims in Mindanao
Archbishop-elect Julius Tonel Zamboanga. (Photo: Zamboanga Archdiocese)
By UCA News reporter Published: April 26, 2023 11:43 AM GMT
The newly appointed archbishop of Zamboanga in the conflict-ridden Mindanao region in the Philippines vowed to promote dialogue between Christians and Muslims for peace.
Pope Francis appointed Bishop Julius Tonel of Ipil Diocese as the new archbishop of Zamboanga Archdiocese in the Muslim-majority Mindanao region on April 25.
Following his new appointment, Archbishop-elect Tonel said one of his priorities will be to eliminate Christian bias against Muslims that all Muslims are terrorists or members of jihadist groups.
“There are some continuing biases against Muslims. Even by our political leaders in society, thus we must form them, we must equip them… so that there could be true dialogue by eliminating biases in the pursuit of peace,” Tonel, 67, told UCA News.
The prelate said he is a bit nervous to take up the new position in Zamboanga, but he is determined to continue his advocacy for peace.
“It makes me afraid because my responsibility is now bigger. Zamboanga has faced many challenges as archdiocese both from terrorist attacks and Christian biases against Muslims,” he added.
Tonel was born in Davao City on Aug. 31, 1956. He was ordained a priest in Davao on April 12, 1980.
He studied liturgical theology at the Pontifical Saint Anselm Athenaeum in Rome (1986-1990). He was appointed bishop of Ipil on June 30, 2007, and was consecrated on Aug. 20.
He is the chairman of the Healthcare Commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
Local Christian and Muslim leaders have welcomed the appointment of the new archbishop saying that he is no stranger to the region and the challenges it faces.
“He is a pastor that does not easily judge. He listens and a person who listens is a good facilitator of peace in Mindanao region,” Zamboanga Catholic Francesca Ruizalo, 61, told UCA News.
Ruizalo said the new archbishop is loved by Catholics due to his ability to settle conflicts not only among Christians and Muslims but among Catholics as well.
“He is an administrator who has an eye and sensitivity on delicate issues. He studies history and the background of the parties involved, which made him sympathize very well… when he speaks, his listeners would easily know he did his homework by background checking.” Ruizalo added.
In 2021, Tonel was a key figure in the interreligious dialogue for peace in Sulu province after the extremist bombings that killed 14 people and wounded 75 others.
On Aug. 24, 2020, terrorist group Abu Sayyaf detonated two bombs near the Philippine army carrying out Covid relief efforts. Another suicide bomb attack targeted a cathedral.
Tonel condemned the terrorist acts yet insisted that Catholic parishes should serve as venues of peace where the Catholic Church’s teachings could be taught to all.
In 2002, Muslim extremists launched a series of attacks in the province that killed 11 people and wounded 80 others.
An Abu Sayyaf bomb maker was also arrested in the same province in February 2023 with explosives and other bomb-making materials.
Muslim imam Osman Balba said the new archbishop is a popular figure in the Muslim community for his remarkable contribution to the consultation committee of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) 2018, which created Mindanao as an autonomous region.
“Bishop Tonel was not only supportive of the bill (before it was passed). He was also critical of it. There were revisions and he facilitated the consultation process among Muslim families in his diocese,” Balba told UCA News.
Before the law was passed, Tonel, together with other Mindanao prelates, promised to improve Catholic education by teaching a “more inclusive history” that traces the relationships of Muslim and Christian people.
Mindanao region has endured deadly conflicts for decades between Islamic extremists and the military that left thousands killed.
The main insurgent outfit, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) battled for greater autonomy until BOL was passed in 2018 and the group disarmed thousands of fighters.
However, many of its fighters refused to lay down arms and joined other extremist outfits active in the region such as the Abu Sayyaf group, which pledges allegiance to the transnational terrorist outfit, Islamic State.
Widespread poverty has long been blamed for breeding extremism in a region known as the breadbasket of the country for its promising agriculture sector and natural resources.
About 26.1 percent of the region’s estimated 24 million people were in extreme poverty in 2021, the highest in the country, according to the Philippine Information Agency.
“The Pope Answers” airs on Hulu beginning April 5.
By Peter Pinedo Washington D.C., Apr 7, 2023 / 14:00 pm
“The true Church is at the peripheries,” Pope Francis says in Disney’s new documentary “The Pope: Answers,” which was released April 5.
Directed by Spanish filmmaker Jordi Évole and available exclusively on Hulu in the U.S. The one hour and 23 minute-long documentary shares a conversation between the pope and 10 young people from around the world.
Filmed in a poor, working-class neighborhood in Rome, the documentary is entirely in Spanish but accessible to English audiences through subtitles.
Throughout the film, Francis maintains that the Church cannot allow itself to become “a club of nice people,” that is a group of people “who do their religious duties but lack the courage to get out to the ‘suburbs.’”
Using the term “suburbs” to describe those on the peripheries of the Church and faith, Francis shared his belief that it is the Church’s job to go out to those people at the very edges.
“We all like to be comfortable,” said Francis, but that desire for comfort can lead priests to forget they are the shepherd of a flock.
“If you want to see reality, go to the ‘suburbs,’” said Francis, “To find out what social injustice is, go to the ‘suburbs.’”
Among the group of 20- to 25-year-olds were Catholics, Protestants, atheists, agnostics, and one Muslim. Each has a unique problem with either the Church or God. They question the pope on some of the Church’s most controversial teachings and difficult problems.
Throughout the film the pope listens to the young people calmly, responding gently and retaining a smile even as some of his answers evoke anger and indignation.
They discuss immigration, depression, abortion, clergy sexual and psychological abuse, transgenderism, pornography, and loss of faith.
Here’s a taste of the conversation on these hot-button issues facing the Church and the world.
Women in the Church
One young woman, Milagros, from Argentina, describes herself as a feminist and asks why the Church objects to having women priests or even a woman pope.
“Therein lies a theological problem,” answers Francis. “Women have a function within the Church because the Church itself is female … The Church is a wife, Christ’s wife. It is not his husband. Christ is the husband. That is our faith.”
A few young women smirk, but the pope goes on, saying, “There are two constituting streams within the Church. Two principles. So, the ministry is for men. On the maternal side, which is far more important, are women. The promotion of women is aligned with their own vocation as women … otherwise, women would be diminished.”
The dignity of life
Milagros also objects to the pope’s description of abortion as “hiring a hitman” and argues that abortion is a woman’s right.
“I think Jesus would walk with that woman. He wouldn’t judge her like they would during Mass at a church,” Milagros says.
With tears welling up in her eyes, Milagros hands the pope a green bandana with the words “Keep abortion legal, safe, free” written in Spanish. She shared that she would keep that bandana in her backpack as a symbol and wanted to give it to him “lovingly and respectfully.” The pope accepted the gift with a smile, kissing Milagros on the cheek.
Though he agrees that the Church should never condemn a woman for having an abortion, Francis stands firm in his position that abortion kills an innocent child.
“Any embryology book shows us that a month after conception, the DNA is aligned, and all the organs are drawn. It is therefore not just a bunch of cells put together, but a systematized human life. So, the question that should be submitted when talking about the morality of this is; ‘Is it valid to eliminate a human life to solve a problem?’”
His response sets off a debate among the young women in the room in which many insist abortion must be kept legal to protect women, while one lone girl, Maria, from Spain, disagrees, asking Milagros; “You are surrounded by women who have had abortions. Don’t you see the suffering abortion causes?”
Throughout the exchange, the pope listens attentively and waits until the conversation has settled to give his thoughts.
“A woman who has an abortion cannot be left alone, we should stay with her,” Francis says, “We should stay by her side. But we should call a spade a spade. Staying by her side is one thing, but justifying the act is something else.”
Child sexual abuse
Tearing up, one young man in the group by the name Juan, from Spain, shares that when he was 11 and 12, he was sexually abused by a teacher at a Catholic school in Spain.
“There is so much hypocrisy [in the Church],” Juan says through tears. “What about pederasty in the Church?”
“It’s usually said that lives should be protected, there’s a right to live … But then, when it comes to other aspects … many people from within the Church reject the victims or stand on the perpetrator’s side,” says Juan. “You must be aware that there are many priests and bishops below you who are bad people.”
Francis responds, saying; “There are men and women who destroy. The abuser destroys a child, and if it’s a church person, the hypocrisy and double life are horrific.”
“I can’t possibly convey the empathy I feel for a person who has been abused, but it pains me deeply,” Francis says. “We’ve been clear about this, we’ve disciplined the seminaries, we’ve punished the abusing priests or even the abusing laypeople.”
“It’s a serious social problem,” the pope says. “We’re beginning to raise social awareness. That is key.”
Sex and pornography
Another, Alejandra, from Colombia, challenges the Church’s position on pornography. She shares that to earn a living she creates pornographic content on a social media site, asserting that it is the best job she has had because it allows her to stay home to care for her daughter.
The pope responds by reminding the young woman of the obligation to use social media responsibly.
“There should be a distinction between the richness of social media and the morality of what you do … The morality of social media depends on what you use it for,” the pope says. “Pornography diminishes, it doesn’t help you grow. Those who use pornography are diminished in human terms.”
Francis adds that he believes sex is often greatly misunderstood, even in Christian circles.
“I think we Christians haven’t always had a mature catechism regarding sex,” he says. Responding to the group’s discussion of pornography and masturbation, Francis says that neither are true expressions of the fullness of human sexuality.
“Sex is one of the beautiful things God gave human beings. To express oneself sexually is something rich. Anything that diminishes a true sexual expression, diminishes you as well, it renders you partial, and it diminishes that richness,” says the pope.
Gender ideology
Another member of the group, Celia, from Spain, describes herself as non-binary, asking the pope if he knew what that meant. He responds that he understands.
“I’m non-binary, and I’m a Christian,” Celia continues. “I’ve been meaning to ask you if you see some space inside the Church for trans people, non-binary people, or LGBT people in general.”
The pope responds firmly with a smile, “Every person is a child of God, everyone,” adding, “I don’t have the right to kick anybody out of the Church. My duty is to always welcome.”
Reaching the peripheries
Celia pushes further, asking what the pope’s opinion is on “church people or priests” who use the bible to promote what she described as “hate speech.”
Reaffirming his stance that the Church exists on the peripheries, the pope answers that every person is welcome in the Church and that those who use the faith as a justification for hate are “infiltrators.”
“In general, those who judge are inconsistent. There’s something within them, they feel liberated by judging others, when they should look inside at their own guilt,” says Francis. “But the day the Church loses its universality – the blind, the deaf, the good, the bad, everybody – it will stop being a Church.”
Peter Pinedo is a DC Correspondent for CNA. A graduate of Franciscan University, Peter previously worked for Texas Right to Life. He is a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Bulatlat Contributors April 2, 2023 0 Comment Balik-Tanaw
FR. ARIS MIRANDA, MI Mt 21:1-11 Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 Phil 2:6-11 Mt 26:14—27:66
Since last week, while following the news at home through social media channels, you won’t miss updates from the PITX, NAIA, North Harbor piers, and other terminals. Long holy days are coming. It’s Holy Week, a moment of reflection, getting together, family and friends bonding moment, a break from hectic days, or a celebration from heydays. Wherever we are, I assume that we pray and reflect on these days apart from gallivanting and jubilating. Prayer and reflection are well-embedded in our spiritual life and culture. This is why we are trying to find time, even for a few minutes or hours or days, because we want to go through the core of our being – our connection to self, to the ONE powerful than us, and to others. But how do we make it meaningful and fruitful for me, for others, and for nature, our common home? Why do we need to do it?
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week and the celebration of the Paschal Triduum of passion (Holy Thursday), death (Good Friday), and the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Easter Sunday). It begins with the triumphant entry of Jesus to Jerusalem, greeted by the people waving palm branches as a sign of welcoming and committing their lives to His proposal (the Beatitudes) of serving the people unconditionally, even at the expense of sacrifices and death as Jesus himself confronted and experienced in witnessing the mercy (hesed) of God to the most vulnerable.
Now is the opportune time to ask ourselves: Am I a disciple of Christ? Like the apostles, when Jesus revealed the plot against him, everyone turned to themselves, asking – “Am I the one …? Surely it is not I!”
In today’s Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, we reflect on the gospel of Matthew, addressing the Jews who had been educated in the catechesis of the rabbis to wait for a victorious, dominating, great, and powerful messiah. However, they were shocked and disillusioned. “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Mt 27:40). They were shocked by a defeated Messiah. But Matthew responds: the Old Testament’s prophecies announce a humiliated, persecuted Messiah that would be put to death. They present him as the companion of every suffering and oppressed person. He transformed his defeat into victory, his death into birth; his tomb into a womb from which he was taken to a life without end. God has made it known that he does not overcome evil by hindering it with miraculous intervention but by taking away its power to harm, even making it a time of growth for humans to learn how to confront, resist and fight evil in our times. Being and journeying with the oppressed is the way to overcome the evil in our society today and proclaim the victory of God’s Kingdom, where peace based on justice truly reigns.
