Today’s readings were totally challenging for me. I had a most difficult time looking for a theme that should resonate in all of the texts. All of the readings I would consider as some of those really hard to shred and understand. And yet, there is some inkling of understanding that may give my tired brain cells some wonderful salve. I found it. I think I found the theme. Bear with me for the next words then.
As Christians, we are called to look deeper and find a message, a common thread that weaves through the readings of today, that is all-inclusive. I am looking for a message that speaks for all. And that is, reflecting on the notion of the “tragedy of disconnection from a sacred whole”. What God has put together, let no human divide. It is a universal call. And the image of husband and wife is a metaphor for the sacred connection, the holy bond that is, ALL OF CREATION.
The world was created good. All is good until we discover there is another way of looking at the world, a more selfish, self-serving way. Enter the evil one. Division, separation, pushing people into the margins of society, and pulling ourselves away from them are part of life’s realities. It is an imperfect world then. But we have a choice to bring out the good in us. There is a way to bring out that good in all of us. Jesus became one of us, to help us know the truth that we can live meaningful lives. He chose poverty because that is the only way we can understand the truth of a meaningful life.
And so the poor have so much to teach us about life—about how humanity should behave. The poor possess an authenticity of vision. In this context, the words of Jesus: “Blessed are the poor” makes sense. You become blessed if your heart becomes the heart of someone who is poor. Poverty, both in the past and in the present, is the consequence of injustice and exploitation. Being poor, one has an intimate knowledge and wisdom about how a society must be reconstructed. (Dollaga, N.) Let’s look at how systemic structures in society have added burdensome measures and caused so much division among what God has created to be a community.
The reality of homelessness is an indictment of society’s indifference and lack of compassion in crafting policies and creating opportunities for those at risk and the vulnerable. The rising costs of rent and housing have pushed people to live on the fringes and unemployment and underemployment have contributed much to this deplorable condition. The rising number of unemployed has been a symptom of dis-ease in society. The “playing up of seemingly improved labor force figures diverts from growing youth unemployment and increasing prevalence of poor quality employment…the so-called vibrancy of the labor market is belied by how most of the new jobs created are likely irregular, temporary, and low-paying. This could mean many Filipinos, including the youth are just taking on whatever work they can find.”
The ballooning of the scandalous wealth of the oligarchy is another indictment of a society calloused to the needs of the poor. The fact that privatized institutions like water districts are owned by an elite group of wealthy capitalists is enough evidence of a greedy handful. When prices of monthly water bills have skyrocketed coupled with bad service, dirty water, and frequent water interruptions, one cannot but protest this breach of a basic human right.
“Consumers bear the burden of water privatization. Water rates increased recently both in Bacolod City and San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan despite insufficient and dirty water, burdening low-income consumers more. Villar’s net worth for instance grew from $ 11 billion in 2023 to $14.4 billion in 2024. With support from different sectors, Bacolod Water District employees are also demanding the reinstatement of retrenched workers and back-pay for resigned workers from Prime Water (the company owned by Villar).”(from IBON Foundation research data, www.ibon.org)
I can go on and on with the burdens society and government have hurled onto people’s backs. The disappearance and extra-judicial killings of human rights workers, and persons purported to be critics of oligarchs and politicians; the existence of confidential funds, where peoples’ taxes are used for dubious and unexplained purposes; the outright demand for the P90billion funds from the Philhealth funneled to the national treasury for “economic growth”; the need of the people for accountability of the former DepEd Secretary regarding funds of the department and the accountability for the budget of the OVP; the exploitation of the environment through mining and the assault to our rainforests, mountains, seas rivers and lakes; and so on and so forth…
So much division, so much disconnection. Not to mention the displacement and loss that wars have caused, around the world – Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, the DRC, Somalia, and other countries where conflicts have escalated. It is clear that greed and profits have fueled these horrific events. Indifference, callousness, and self-serving aims have motivated the wealthiest countries that support and are complicit to this discord and devastation. And so it is indeed deplorable, worthy of condemnation, what lusty humans have divided through abuse of power and the assault to peoples’ freedoms.
BUT WE DARE TO HOPE. We know it in our bones (in Tagalog we say, ‘sa kaibuturan’, ‘sagad sa buto’) that the peoples’ struggle, our struggle, will not go in vain. For as long as we struggle side by side with the poor, in solidarity with workers and those pushed to the margins, we will never fall into iniquity. As Fr. Joe Dizon, priest activist, champion of the workers, and beloved of the masses, has distinctly said, “The church will never go astray as long as it continues to be with the poor in their work for struggle and resurrection from the many forms of ‘deaths’ imposed upon them by the evils of injustice.” Yes, we dare to hope, for we believe in a renewed creation. As the main message of the Letter to the Hebrews highlights the reality of suffering on the journey of faithfulness to God, it also underscores the profound truths of Christ’s incarnation, his role as a source of liberation from oppression and injustice, and his empathetic mission as prophet and priest-servant. And when we have followed Jesus in his incarnational mission of compassion, love, and mercy, then and only then may we proclaim…
“May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives, may peace and prosperity be upon us, and may we see our children’s children celebrate life to the full!”
Gospel reflection of Weena Salvador Meily, Association of Women in Theology for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Balik-Tanaw is a group blog of the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR). The Lectionary Gospel reflection is an invitation for meditation, contemplation, and action.
