Independence Day and the Burmese Priest
To the Filipino, the fierce, untiring, and unbowed pride of the Malay race: Raise your head to the sun and exult, for today your nation celebrates its 108th Independence Day. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!
Last night at Sunday Mass, our Burmese priest Fr. Joseph (who speaks good Tagalog and English) was again delivering one of his great sermons. One theme that has been recurrent in his homilies is his belief in the great destiny of the Philippines.
While some of you might be turned off by a discussion mixing up state and religious matters, Fr. Joseph is not the only person who believes that the Philippines was chosen by God, as the only Catholic nation in Asia, to be His bastion of greatness. While I’m not entirely sold on this idea (the Christian within me believes, while the techie does not), there are lots of Pinoys who are.
A sterling example would be the elderly and esteemed Prof. Connie Alaras of the UP College of Arts and Letters, who was my teacher in English 11. She would always declare that the Philippines is destined for great things, and I also found myself always enthralled by her passion and conviction.
Back to Fr. Joseph. What’s astounding about his belief in the Filipino people’s greatness is that he’s a foreigner. While he has spent many, many years here in the country, Fr. Joseph never fails to talk about his native Burma (Myanmar). He would narrate his childhood experiences, his yearning for his homeland, and compare her with the Philippines.
Last night, what he said particularly struck me as the gist of his belief and love for this archipelago (a little bit paraphrased, as it’s written down from memory):
You have the prosperity (only, that there are greedy people amongst you), the land, the Faith. We [Burmese] have none. You should share these with the world. A lamp should never be hidden under the bed — it should be placed on a table to give light to the whole room. A city is never built in a hidden place — it is founded upon a hilltop, for everybody to see and admire.
In the same way, you should rise and be an example to the nations around you.
Fr. Joseph’s words should serve as an inspiration and impetus for all Filipinos to wholly offer their talents to the Motherland. That has often been said, but never fully done. If a foreigner can believe with all his heart in our country, why can’t we?
Don’t mind the politicians; go ahead and forge your own dreams for the Philippines. If you don’t buy the thing about God’s purpose for us, then do it for your nation.
Happy Independence Day!
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June 12th, 2006 at 5:33 pm
A very touching sermon indeed… reminds me of something Nelson Mandella once said: “We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we subconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
I tend to lose sight of the fact that independence doesn’t necessarily have to involve nation-states; that it can, and most often should, mean self-liberation. That’s a wonderful message, thanks for sharing it
June 12th, 2006 at 6:04 pm
While forging your dreams, remember the Sex & Cash theory.
June 12th, 2006 at 6:25 pm
english 11 po.
the sermon at claret (7:15 mass) was about love. it focused on the trinity kasi.
(i don’t feel too independent right now.)
June 12th, 2006 at 7:09 pm
Jorge, you’re welcome. Thank you, too, for sharing that great Mandela quote. At least, it’s great to know that the Philippines, at times, have liberated other nations from their own fears. I’m thinking People Power (”As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others”).
Jangelo, no, I won’t! Hehe.
Ia, oops, sorry. English 10 was Ma’am Ong’s class. Post edited, thanks for the heads-up
Oh, it’s only a matter of time…sana.
June 12th, 2006 at 7:21 pm
Yesterday was the feast of the Holy Trinity. Didn’t quite get the sermon (Claret, also, 3:30pm) but attended mass the other day (June 10th) where the priest delivered quite an interesting sermon on the Trinity.
June 12th, 2006 at 8:07 pm
corsi, i think Fr Joseph quoted a verse in the Bible, I cant remember nga lang. but he’s right, our light should be shared, as one saying goes that it only takes a tiny spark to light the darkness…
albeit we cant feel that we are an independent nation, i guess we have to move towards independence. let not a part of this nation prevent us from doing so.
June 15th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
Eh?
(sleep-deprived?)
June 16th, 2006 at 8:36 am
Since having moved back to Manila after many years as a resident of New York, I’ve been asked by many locals if I were certain that I hadn’t made a mistake of coming back to which I would immediately reply, “I don’t think so.”
The Philippines still offer the same posperity as I had left it as a teenager, and do believe that it will remain to do so. Moreover, the affluence that exists in our country is quite astounding (just ask any banker friend you might have), although the conscisousness of poverty that permeates the Filipino culture overwhelms it. This, by the way, often breeds greed.
Greed stems from the consciousness of lack. If one nurtures the thought of prosperity and abundance — which I believe is God’s gift to all of humanity — none of these hoarding, cruel exploitations, and tyranny would exist. Sadly, there are still as many tyrants and slaves in our country nowadays as in the days of Rizal; only the faces have changed.
Perhaps, this is the reason why the Burmese do not harbor greed, for in their consciousness they believe that they live and thrive in a world of prosperity and abundance. How do we achieve the same here in the Philippines? First and foremost, we need only change our consciousness; that is, eradicate our thoughts of lack and nurture properity and abundance instead.
Surely, the universe will respond in kind and bestow upon us some ideas, notions, or concepts that we can develop; and thereby enrich our lives, as well as our bank accounts.
June 22nd, 2006 at 10:34 pm
Bing, yes, I think he mentioned that part of it comes from the Bible. Combined with his own words, the message is truly a beautiful one. You’re right — the march towards true independence should never be obstructed.
J, sleep-deprived nga!
I meant, “yes, I will!” hehe.
Sir Eric, that is a great albeit brief analysis on the matter. I agree — the Filipinos’ present consciousness of their own race, culture, and nation poses a problem, an obstruction towards progress. Change will bring about improvement; question is, should this change be radical? National consciousness cannot be easily altered. The change either takes a long, long, gradual process to enact, or a sudden upheaval in society.