Defending Catholic truths

It’s true majority of Filipinos are Catholics.  But we ought to realize that what is important is being on the side of truth.  After all, that’s what Jesus said: “If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples, you will learn the truth and the truth will make you free” (Jn. 8:32). 

There are so many statements in our world today. What is important is that these be on the side of truth.  If so many saints and wise people chose to become Catholics, we ought to have deeper study into it’s teachings or doctrine.

Of course, with so many great saints and people who chose to be Catholics we ought to thank God and all the missionaries and people in our lives who helped to usher into our Land the Catholic truth that has made our Country one singular Catholic nation in the Far East.  Simply, of course, for all of us, the paramount value is that, in the spirit of genuine freedom, we are on the side of truth.  And we have to respect every person’s freedom in the search for the truth.

No more of those violent exchanges of the past which were only vestiges or marks of immaturity or ignorance.  Let’s have the spirit of total freedom in our quest for truth.  No one has the monopoly of truth, except God Almighty whose very essence is Truth itself.

Grumbling people

This attitude does not really bring progressive results.  Instead of doing something, just talk and talk and talk in complaining tunes.  They say “every time the sheep bleats it loses a mouthful.”  The other sheep are helping themselves eating the food.  So instead of all that useless noise, let’s do what we can to solve difficult situations.

                If you read the story of the Israelite people in the Bible, you will see how they came to different places and situations before they reached the Promised Land, the present place of Jerusalem.  This was one phenomenon of their experiences that the more they complained and grumbled in their forty years journey through the desert towards the land of promise, the more the Lord punished them (Ex. 18:1-3; Ps. 75:1).

                In our country it might be a good advice to do away with much politicking as if a nation were mostly to deal on politics, which is so much a waste of time instead of dealing with positive values and progress, the fruit of patient work and humble unity and cooperation.  Perhaps this could then be a better Country, disciplined, peaceful and respectful of legitimately constituted authority.

                 

Claimants of the truth

In this wide world of ours there are so many who claim to have or say the truth.  But it will be wiser for us to observe the biblical truth that asserts (Mt. 7:7) :  “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.”  There is certainly truth in those words, if only you sincerely keep them and practice them.  The same applies with the many world religions. I heard those words of Shakespeare in the play ‘Hamlet’ which say: “To thine own self be true and it shall follow as day follows night you will be true to every man.”

                Following the above-quoted biblical truth (Mt. 7:7), being true to ourselves would mean that in the quest for truth we should have no other motivation but to pursue the truth without any selfish or vested interests.  After all as the Bible says: “The truth will make you free” (Jn. 8:32).  If we observe the truth for the sake of some worldly or personal advantage we are only deceiving ourselves.  There is a God who knows all things.  

I heard once the expression: “the truth will out.”  Sooner or later it will come out, whether you like it or not. Whatever people say, let’s be honest in our quest for the truth.  Otherwise we ourselves will be the losers in the long run.

Mary, our Mother

God gave us Mary at the foot of the Cross to be our spiritual mother.  Some thought that devotion to Mary would diminish our love for God or for the Son of God, Jesus.  On the contrary, Christianity has prospered where there is strong devotion to Mary.

It’s true we all need a mother.  And in the spiritual sphere God in all His wisdom has given us one: Mary, the mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  The Son of God became man through the womb of the Virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit.  She is a help to us in our way to eternal salvation as we fight the temptations around us.  In the book of exorcists, even the devils recognize the power and role of Mary. Even devils at times say through the mouth of the possessed that the “boss” is Mary, somehow to indicate her prominent role.  Nobody denies that.  Of course, all Catholics recognize such prominence only in association to Jesus and as His Mother, as such being called in the Catholic Church the “Mother of God.”