Argosy S. Nazareno
RISEN
This is the season where families are gathered to commemorate the passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We see familiar faces of relatives and friends who gathered in their homes since gathering in Churches are limited and visiting religious sites is prohibited.
In line with this year’s theme “Gifted to Give”, the Catholic Church’s vision should be a church for the poor. It must elevate the issue of poverty to the very top of its political agenda, establishing poverty alongside same sex marriage as the pre-eminent moral issues that the Catholic community pursues at this moment. Poverty constitutes an assault on the very core of the dignity of the human person. The cry of the poor must be the crux of Catholic political conversation this year because these realities dwarf other threats to human life and dignity that confront us that are worsened by the Pandemic.
As the political campaign season nears, some Church leaders lashed out at the hypocrisy of some politicians who promote themselves under the guise of “charity.” The priests tackled in their sermons some concerns such as poverty and morality but reserved their more ardent words for ordinary people whose struggles are worsened by some people’s selfish thirst for
power. They reminded Catholics that Lent is a time for renewal, with special attention to the
suffering of others and seeking ways to help.
The unified efforts of the Church and the State in maintaining the observance of minimum health protocols should set an example for future endeavors that would truly promote the welfare of the people. Both entities are nothing without its people, who are the subject of Christ’s sacrifice.
In order for the Church’s agenda to be realized, the Church should work together with the Government in helping the poor. Donations should be shared and divided. It is an irony that Jesus conversed and dined with the poor while Politicians and Priests give more time to well off families instead of the poor. Priests and Politicians alike should be role models to the children and youth.
We should ask ourselves, for those of us interested in politics: as a Christian, what should I do to change the image of politics? How should we clean the image of our political system? Like Christ’s genuine Love, Politicians and the Religious should LOVE the people. Listen clearly, Open to their plight, Value relationship and Empty themselves thru Sacrifice.
As we celebrate the resurrection of our savior, we as voters should rise up from the archaic practices of dole outs and vote-buying. People should resist temptations at all cost and apply the teachings of the risen.