Playing with Fire
Lessons of Myanmar
By Gonzalo Duque
IT’S shocking that a very young man known for his amiability, industry and “workaholism” would die at a tender age.
Reggie Ubando, 40, who until lately, was in charge of the city’s waste management, succumbed to cardiac arrest while Dagupan was in the midst of merry-making at the world renown kalutan of which he was very much a part of, whether under Mayor Al Fernandez or former Mayor Benjie Lim.
Reggie’s passing is symbolic marking a passage from joy to sorrow, which could strike in seconds or minutes.
Who would ever imagine that such a young, brilliant (he was a top graduate of Lyceum Northwestern University), well-meaning guy would leave this world too soon!
Everyone is grieving his passing. Please pray for his soul because he was a good man, a friend to everyone, and, we are sure now he’s in the Hands of God.
We shall miss you, Reggie! kumusta la rad tan ed laen mon pasen!
* * * *
The hair-raising catastrophe that swooped down on Myanmar (how many deaths now, 25,000?) should portend frightening reverses of nature because of the fragility of life in this temporal world.
But we saw something in it. Months before the tragedy, the super-peaceful Buddhists were dastardly harmed physically by the blood-thirsty military of that country. Thousands of monks were killed and one would think at this time when the world has shrunk into a global village where peace and understanding reign, such barbaric acts committed by people befitting beasts could still happen.
In the past, we were witnesses to similar quirks in history – those who inflicted violence on a peaceful people met their comeuppance-catastrophic ends.
Look at what happened to India under British rule or misrule. When the government unleashed its cruelty on the pacifist and foremost advocate of non violence, Mahatma Gandhi, subjecting him and his millions of followers to physical and emotional beatings and all forms of violence and inhumanity . . . what happened after that? India won its independence.
There was a time during Erap’s presidency when he arrogantly displayed disrespect to the Muslims by eating pork with gusto right before their eyes. You know what happened to Erap after that. He was toppled from the presidency.
Unthinkable, isn’t it?
Kaya ang masasabi ko, hindi nagtatagal ang mga violanteng tao, whether physically, mentally, emotion-ally and specially spiritually.
The catastrophe at Myanmar was a bizarre violation of the Buddhists’ spirituality.
We said it’s worst when harm is done on a people’s spiritual nature because they are in league with the cosmic divine law. Whoever harms the Law of God will surely be dealt with accordingly. When we violate the law of man, we get jailed. But the law of God? It’s death in hell.
Myanmar is now a symbol of God’s warning against those who propagate violence. As we all know, the Buddhists are among the most peaceful people on earth, more peaceful than most of us so-called Christians.
We may not be able to decipher God’s message at all times, but one thing is sure. He is a fair God. These reverses in Nature — cyclones, tsunamis, deluge, earthquakes — are reminders of God’s anger. Better heed it.
Huwag saktan ang mga nanahimik, mararangal at mabubuting tao para hindi kayo aabutin ng tadyak ng Maykapal.
(Readers may reach columnist at punch.sunday@gmail.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/playing-with-fire/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)
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