Think about it
Crisis of faith
By Jun Velasco
WE were probably the first, along with Mayor Benjie Lim, city museum czarina Nora Siapno, and tourism director Rose Teng-Mejia, to witness the switching on of the beautiful Christmas tree in front of the city museum Tuesday night.
Amid a myriad of troubles tearing our lives, the Christmas tree is a joy to see being a symbol of Christmas, joy, love and peace. We hinted to Mayor Lim, balikbayan Alfred “fish pen nemesis” Dawana, Ping Meneses of vintage car fame and Mon Santillan an idea that, Christmas or no Christmas, the well-lit tree stand there all year round.
The city’s frolicsome atmosphere is a tourist attraction. People would ask you these days have you seen the city at night? They’re referring to the luminous decors on the streets and the “hanging bridge” the eyes would feast on.
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Former Speaker Jose de Venecia’s proposal for P-Noy to pardon all political prisoners on the heels of the amnesty to the Morong 43 should be received warmly.
The legal technicalities, cumbersome procedures and other details should be worked out by a staff.
The heart and soul of JdV’s idea is the awesome fact that the only fault of these political prisoners is that their expression of patriotism differs from the majority’s way.
Back home, instead of a province-wide grand reception for P-noy’s visit last week (remember the province gave him the second highest number of votes in the elections, next only to Cebu), what happened was a spoiler, all due to a personal rift between two politicians. Even well-heeled gentlemen trip to embarrassing levels due to personal boils.
It’s Christmas, gentlemen, it’s best to give peace a chance.
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Who was it who said “create trouble for truth” hit the bull’s eye.
For instance, the Supreme Court’s acquittal of the Webbs in the grisly Vizconde massacre failed to appease the public who had misjudged the case for so long. They keep asking, if not Hubert Webb and company, who were the killers?
It will take a long time to put a final period to the case.
The Christmas season should provide a soothing balm to frayed nerves and all these bludgeoning blows that have crushed our spirits.
Let’s not allow the cynic’s wit that says Christmas, being a capitalist’s invention, would only sharpen the great divide between the rich and the poor.
About ten years ago, the bubbling Bubby Dacer invited us to his suite-office at the Manila Hotel. On the wall, we saw written in big letters, “With God, All Things Are Possible.” Before we left, he gave us a book bearing that title, “With God, All Things Are Possible.”
The book has almost every practical how-to on the day-to-day art of living. It would make an ideal daily companion. That’s why it fills us with sadness that the man who picked that quote to be his living philosophy died in a gruesome manner.
For the Yule season, we lift from the chapter, “God is watching over you” — these lines: “God has left His footsteps in this world and in the Bible. There is One who walked in those footsteps and who has left them for you! Follow in those footsteps and you will be out of danger. Your soul be opened to God’s light, and you will hear, as did the poet of old the voice of Jesus say:
‘I am this dark world’s light. Look unto me, thy morn shall rise; and all thy days be bright.’
For enemies, like evil, are things to be conquered. And the way of conquest is the way of Jesus. Jesus understands your problem because it was His own. For He, too, had enemies who reviled Him, who spat upon Him, who dragged Him the way of the Cross.”
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