Opium of the people

                                                                                         
Karl Marx said that religion is the opium of the people.  Let’s look at the facts; facts do not lie.  What did he  do?  After teaching communism, being as he was a German, what happened, when the Germans lost the war. The Soviet communists divided Germany into what it is now—East and West.  And why did Mao Tse Tung say communism advances by the barrel of the gun?  Is the use of force and threat a sign of freedom?  Is it bravery to rely on force and threat as a sign of freedom?  Is it bravery to rely on force, pressure and arms of war?  George Herbert said: ‘War is death’s feast.’  Is that what we intend to give to our people?  A peaceful cemetery?  What did the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley fancy when he wrote:  ‘War is the stateman’s game, the priest’s delight, the lawyer’s jest, the hired assassin’s trade.’

Religion teaches our people to love one another (Jn. 13:34).  It teaches harmony.  Is that what communists call the opium of the people?  We should not act like wolves fighting to get to the prey.

Word-giving analysis

Many do not see how true Jesus was when He said: “According to the measure you extend to others, the same shall come back to you, overflowing” (Lk. 6:38).  And why He said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

The best illustration I could give is a fruit-bearing tree.  See how a generous tree, giving delicious fruit is highly prized by the people. Its seeds are planted to obtain other similar ones.  But the selfish tree that gives no fruit because it says that people do not treat it well, the more she is neglected or cut down for giving no fruit.  The same happens to people who just keep on complaining yet produce no active works to help our people.  They do pure lip-service.  We must learn to analyze well.  Most people who are good at talking and criticizing have not really done much to help other people.  Wouldn’t this be a better world if time was wisely spent in actions towards improvement of self and humanity rather than in mumbling words that would only impair good motives and honest intentions.  Let our words bear fruit in Christifying others, and not waste time in crucifying the good name of people who may yet become instruments for evangelization
in the Father’s plan of salvation. 

Whereto activism?

The term Activism or activist has acquired some kind of pejorative meaning just because activists nowadays are moving in haphazard directions and we don’t know whether they could be right or wrong.  Hence, the first thing we need is to evaluate the movements.  Are they going in accord with the liberation of Jesus Christ?  A man can sometimes become like a bull, bumping into anything out of anger.

If a person fights for justice there must be some balance and some know-how.  First, he/she ought to know what justice and human rights mean or connote.  Justice means we “give everyone what is due” (Rom. 13:7).  Human rights mean the same thing which Jesus meant when He said: “Do to others what you want others to do unto you.  Here is the very substance of the law and the message of all the prophets” (Mt. 7:3; Mt. 22:40).  There has to be a balance in our love of God, oneself and the neighbor (cf. Mt. 22:40).  Those who keep boasting they love the people without loving God and themselves are going out of balance.  Jesus had said: “Love God with your whole heart and soul and strength.  Love your neighbor as you love yourself.  This is the basis of all the law and all the message of the prophets” (Mt. 22:40).  St. Teresa says: “Our nature being so evil, I do not believe we could even attain perfect love for our neighbor unless it had its
roots in the love of God.”

The storm

A state of the nation could be compared to those times the disciples were caught in a storm.  Jesus was with them, but asleep.  They call Jesus: “Lord, save us, we are about to drown” (Mt. 8:25; Lk. 8:24).  Jesus stood up and quieted the winds and the seas.

The same thing shall happen, if we let Jesus take over our lives as individuals and as a nation, and stop fighting greedily over money, power, land and politics.  Let there be fair play, mutual respect as fellow created human beings, not divisive hatred.  Let us not listen to those false prophets who are sowing hatred using the Church as a front, but “inwardly are ravening wolves bringing ruin to the sheep”(Mt. 7:15).  The Church of Jesus was never an instrument of hate.  Following the voice of the Good Shepherd will unify the flock towards peace amidst the storms of life.