Jesus died on the cross because he was “red-tagged” and was accused of being a member of an underground rebel movement that was supposedly working to bring down the Roman empire.
In his homily during the celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, Bishop Pablo Virgilio David said Jesus was charged with the crime of subversion that had something to do with “wrong politics.”
Even in contemporary times, the practice of tagging people continue.
Bishop David cited the case of Dr. Ma. Natividad Marian Castro, a health worker, who was arrested by authorities in February for alleged links to the rebels.
“Suspetsyado siya agad porke pinili niyang magsilbi sa mga barrio, natawag tuloy siyang komunista,” said the prelate.
“Sabi ng isang madre, ‘Bakit ba ganyan? Porke nagsi-serve sa mga dukha, komunista agad? Hindi ba pwedeng Kristiyano?’” added Bishop David.
“Hindi naman masama ang pulitika, maganda itong sangkap sa lipunan para sa ikabubuti ng marami,” he said.
“Nagiging masama kapag hinayaan nating mapasakamay ito sa mga taong hindi common good ang hangarin.”
The bishop also cited the role of truth in Christ’s passion and death, noting that Pontius Pilate, despite his doubts over the accusations against Jesus, chose to be silent, and acted according to what the Romans wanted.
“Delikado ang maging alagad ng katotohanan. Kaya sa kasaysayan ng pananampalatayang Kristiyano, hindi niyo mabilang-bilang ang ma martyr na pinagsusuot natin ng pula kapag sila’y ginugunita, because red means martyrdom,” he said.
Bishop David warned the faithful, especially those who will be voting in the coming May national elections, to be careful of leaders who are more faithful to foreign countries than their own.
“Ganoong tipo naman ng tao ang hanap ng Roman empire na mamuno sa bayan nila, iyung tipong magpapakatuta sa kanila, ‘yung tipong magsasabing, ‘Kapag pinalaya mo ang taong iyan hindi ka kaibigan ng Roman emperor,’” said the prelate.
Suffering on the cross
Meanwhile, Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan decried how people “sterilized the crucifixion” these days.
“We have put flowers around the cross, we have lit candles around the cross, we have sprayed perfume to the crucifixions,” he noted.
“That’s why we can’t understand anymore what Christ did for us,” said the prelate.
He said Christ’s suffering was a “indignity to the highest form” with more than 5,000 wounds on his body.
“The doctors will tell you [that] under extreme suffering, you urinate and move your bowel without control. [Imagine] the feces and urine sliding down the cross,” said the archbishop.
He said that it was not good when Christ got thirsty and was given hyssop dipped in vinegar. Archbishop Villegas said hyssop was used by slaves to clean dirt.
“Who among us has been raised for everybody to see, totally naked, unable to control their urine and feces in front of everybody?”
“But that is only half the story. He saved us by his sufferings, by his humiliations,” said Archbishop Villegas said. He said it was Christ’s decision to show his love despite the suffering that made his passion “heroic.”
