"The Challenge for Peace and Justice"

Rev. Fr. Ambo David's Homily on the topic: "The Challenge for Peace
and Justice". (Coinciding w/ the CBCP's Statement on GMA Issue)
As we were walking towards where the processional will start,
One of the EMCDs said, "Father palagay ko PRO-GLORIA kayo." Hindi ako
sumagot ng yes or no, ngumiti lang ako. At idinugtong pa niya, "Pero
ang kapatid ninyo na si Randy David ay anti-Gloria, hindi po ba?"
Hindi rin ho ako sumagot ng yes or no, ngumiti lang ako.
Kayo ho PRO-GLORIA ba kayo? ANTI-GLORIA ba kayo? Huwag rin ho kayong
sasagot, ngumiti lang kayo. I do not think we should add more fuel to
the already intense state of division that we find ourselves in as a
nation. We are now deeply divided country.
And I know that at some point, people have to make a stand and they
have to be respected for whatever stand they make. Of course we hope
that whatever stand they make, the stand is not either for or against
a person but rather for or against a particular principle that has to
do with the Gospel.
We are for the truth, we are for Justice, we are for Peace.
Ang tema po natin ngayon sa ating Novena Mass na ibinigay sa akin ni
Sis. Agnes is "The Challenge for Peace and Justice." Noong unang
natanggap ko yung invitation pati na yung title ng ating topic
ngayong hapon, ang unang reaction ko, ang sabi ko, " Mukhang baligtad
yata". Because commonly, when you encounter the two words Peace and
Justice, very common yung ang order nila ay yung Justice & Peace.
Alam niyo ho parang itong question na " Which come first, the chicken
or the egg?" Is it Justice first before Peace? Or Peace first before
Justice? Ang common opinion ay dapat kiatarungan muna bago magkaroon
ng kapayapaan. There can be no peace without justice. That is the
common opinion. I think it is not pure accident that allowed the
topic for this afternoon's Homily to be entitled, "The Challenge for
Peace and Justice." Inuna ang kapayapaan sa katarungan. Peace first
before Justice. And as I reflected on this, I realized," Tama, dapat
mauna ang kapayapaan." Peace first before Justice.
If we want to have Justice, we have to have Peace first. Lahat na
lang ay naghahanap ng katarungan. And usually, kapag humihingi ka ng
katarungan ay nanggagalaiti ka sa galit lalo na kung sa paniniwala
mo, ikaw ay inalipusta. Kapag sa paniniwala mo, ikaw ay biktima.
Kapag kinawawa ka, natural lang, magagalit ka. Rememeber what Susan
Roces looked like on television. Yun, that is the look of a person
who si calling for justice. Galit! Kapag ang paniniwala mo ay
ninakawan ka ng dapat sana ay sa iyo, magagalit ka nga. Ang tanong,
ninakawan ba sila o hindi? Maraming galit ngayon. I am sure nagalit
si GMA dahil sa destabilization campaign laban sa kanya. Pati ang
timing ng jueteng issue, at ang timing ng paglalabas ng mga "Hello
Garci Tapes". Galit siya dahil sa paniniwala niya, ang lahat ng ito

ay pagsusumikap na ibagsak ang kanyang pamahalaan. Galit din of

course ang maraming mga taong bumoto kay FPJ.
Ang paniwala nila, ay dahil ayaw ng mga mayayaman kay FPJ,
nagbubulag-bulagan sila at pati na ang simbahan nagbubulag-bulagan
daw sa pandaraya na kinumpirma lang di-umano ng mga "Hello Garci
Tapes". Galit din ang administrasyon, mga kakampi ni GMA. Bakit daw
hindi natin daanan sa impeachment ang complaint laban sa kanya? Ay
may constitution naman tayo, may batas na dapat sundin. Galit din ang
oposisyon, dahil sa obvious na cover-up na ginawa tungkol sa GloriaGates scandal na inamin din naman ng ating Pangulo pero tinawag
niyang "A mere lapse of judgement." Na ikinadagdag pa ng galit ng
maraming tao dahil mukhang hindi ito simpleng kaso ng impropriety.
Galit. Nakita ninyo si Susan Roces. Alam ninyo, galit din siya sa
kanyang kapwa oposisyon dahil ngayon lang inilabas ang "Hello
Garci Tapes." Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo? I think
that is how she reacted. Ngayon pang patay na si FPJ, ngayon kayo
maglalabas ng ebidensiya? Sino ang makikinabang niyan?. Galit din
siya kay GMA. You saw how she expressed her anger on television. "You
stole the presidency not once but twice!", ang sabi niya. Galit din
yung 10 Cabinet Members na nag-resign. Hindi daw tinupad ni GMA ang
pangako niyang reporma after apologizing. Galit din ngayon ang
natitirang Cabinet Members na tapat kay GMA. At ang tawag nila sa mga
nag-resign ay MGA TRAIDOR. Galit ang mga PRO-GMA kay Cory, dahil
nanawagan ng resign ang dating Pangulong Corazon Aquino. In fairness,
sa tingin ko ang tunay niyang panawagan ay TO MAKE A SUPREME ACT OF
SACRIFICE NOT TO DIVIDE THE NATION FURTHER. Pero nakatanggap
ako ng text message na galit na galit kay Cory Aquino. Ang sabi nung
text message, " E, kung ang anak mong si Kris Aquino hindi mo
mapasunod, kami pa susunod sa'yo?". Hindi ba galit ang susulat ng
text message na ganyan?
At galit din daw si Erap na nakakulong hanggang ngayon. Bakit siya
nagagalit? Dahil ngayon, we keep invoking the Constitution, we keep
saying," Follow the Constitution". Pero nung pinatalsik si Erap, we
did not follow the Constitution. How come sa kanya puwede? Kay Gloria
hindi puwede? Ang daming galit na tao ngayon. Galit ka kapag
humihingi ka ng hustisya.
How do we hope to settle our issues kung lahat tayo ay galit? If our
emotions are high? My brothers and sisters, I think we are in The
brink of a Civil War. We are in a very serious situation. Galit ang
mahihirap dahil hindi umuunlad ang buhay nila. Ang tingin nila, 2
beses silang humalal kanilang bida, 2 beses inalis ng mga mayayaman
ang kanilang bida. Kaya labanan na ito ng mahirap at mayaman. Iyon
ang tingin ng marami.
In marriage, counseling and I have quite an extensive experience
counseling people who are angry with one another. Kapag parehong
galit ang magkabilang panig, walang patutunguhan ang kanilang paguusap.
Kapag sila'y parehong kumukulo ang dugo at nagsisigawan, wala silang

karapatang mag-usap. They need a facilitator whose first task is to

calm them down. Kaya habang ako'y nagmamaneho patungo sa misang ito,
naka-on ang aking radyo, sa sasakyan at pinkikinggan ko ang statement
ng Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and I was very
happy that I heard a voice of sobriety. Ang narinig kong tinig ay
hindi galit. Ang narinig kong tinig ay hindi pumapanig pero
nakikisangkot, gusting makagawa ng paraan upang ating maayos ang
sigalot ng ating kasalukuyang kalagayan. I think we need Peace before
Justice. That is why our topic is about "The Challenge for Peace and
Justice." More than ever, we need Peace before we can get Justice. We
need facilitators who can make us aware of our anger and teach us to
rise above our own emotions. Sa tingin ko, para tayong naghahanap ng
ginto sa maputik na tubig. Kung kailan ka nagpa-panic, kung kalian mo
ginagalaw ang tubig, mas lalong lumalabo. Pero subukin mong huminto,
let the water subside, let calm take over so that the waters of
politics will subside, so that the sediments will settle down. I
think we will gradually find what we are looking for.
Justice is about sorting out the right from the wrong, the good from
the evil, the truth from falsehood. Kung talagang nandaya ang ating
Presidente, tama, wala siyang karapatang mamuno sa baying ito. Tama,
Dahil lahat tayo ay naniniwala sa 10 Commandments "Thou shall not
steal".
Kung nagnakaw siya, kailangang isoli ang ninakaw. But we have to
establish the truth. And how will you do that if you don't calm down?
If you don't allow reason? If you don't allow Peace to let the truth
emerge? Today's Gospel has many different images for the Obstacles to
Peace and Justice. The image that we get is that of a sower. Maraming
mga hadlang sa pagtubo ng binhi ng Kaharian ng Diyos.
Ang unang hadlang ay mga ibon, tinutuka ang binhi, nasasayang.
Pangalawang hadlang ay mga bato, hindi magka-ugat ang mga binhi dahil
mababaw lang ang lupa, hinahadlangan ng bato.
Pangatlong hadlang, mga tinik sinasakal ang mga binhi, hindi ito
makatubo at makapamungang mabuti.
How can we have good soil for the seed? If we do not first remove the
obstacles? Kaya inaaro muna, binubungkal muna ang lupa bago
tinataniman ng binhi. Ang pagbubungkal ay parang pananakit,
sinasaktan mo ang lupa. How can we clear the ground if the soil is
hard and dry? The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines is
calling the Filipino people for sobriety, for prayer, and
discernment. Ito ang magpapalambot sa matigas na lupa. Hindi ka
basta-basta mag-aararo kung matigas ang lupa upang puwede mo nang
bungkalin. Mas madaling bungkalin ang basing lupa.
Second, They're calling for discernment. And that is what we do after
the pagbubungkal. Nasabi ko na ang pagbubungkal ay pananakit.
Sinasaktan natin ang lupa. We let it go through the plow which is
like a knife.We allow the soil to get hurt, we allow it to get
wounded so that it will open up, so that the soil can make the seeds
welcome. Sa pagbubungkal, we do sorting out and discernment is

sorting out. Panatilihin ang dapat manatili, isang tabi at itapon ang
mga hadlang. Ang mga hadlang ay mga ibon, mga bato, mga tinik.
I wonder if you noticed na maikli lang ang binasa ko sa ebanghelyo. I
did not read the whole chapter. Kung may iba sa inyo na may hawak na
misalet, marahil nagtaas kayo ng kilay at nagsabing," Ay, pinutol
ni Fr. Ambo ang pagbasa." Pinutol ko ho talaga. Dahil mayroon kaming
option between the long form and the short form. Yung long form ay
may parable and an interpretation. Part 1 nung long form is the story
itself of the man who sow. Part 2 of the parable is the
interpretation of the parable itself.
Kaya ko pinutol ay dahil alam ko na talinghaga ay hindi
nangangailangan ng paliwanag. When Jesus said His parables, He did
not have to explain them.
They were self-explanatory. It was the early Christian Community esp.
The community of St. Matthew, that added the interpretation part and
the interpretation part, ang mga bato, ang mga tinik, ang mga ibon,
ay nagkakaroon ng kahulugan. Ang mga hadlang daw ay mga tao. I don't
want to use that interpretation because we may tend to be very
judgmental of one another. Then we will start labeling people around
us as tinik, bato, o masamang ibon na tumutuka sa binhi ng salita ng
Diyos. The parable is about the soil itself. Lahat tayo ay lupa at
lahat ng lupa ay magkakahalo.
Lahat ay nahaluan ng mga bato at mga tinik at lahat ay nilusob ng mga
ibon.
All of us bear the obstacles.we cannot be blaming all the troubles of
our country only to GMA. We cannot be blaming all the troubles of our
Country only to the politicians. Nag-eexpect tayo ng apology sa isang
tao. I think the apology has to come from all of us. We are all in
this together.
Our country has become rotten to the core. So corrupt! And that is
not only because of politicians. We all in one way or another have a
share in this corruption. We have to start with ourselves.
Minsan kausap ko yung aking hipag who is now the Commissioner of
Civil Service about corruption in the government and how they intend
to control thru the Civil Service Commission. Gumawa siya ng anatomy
of corruption in Phil. Society. Ang sabi niya " Corruption begins at
home".
And she gave a very simple example. Halimbawa, ang teacher sa
Eskuwelahan nagbigay ng assignment sa bata. Ang bata inuwi yung
assignment sa nanay, ang nanay dahil walang panahon turuan ang anak,
siya ang nag-answer ng assignment ng kanyang anak. Ang anak, kinuha
ang assignment na ginawa ng nanay at kinopya niya, word for word.
Isinubmit niya sa teacher niya. Ang teacher, nakita naman niya,
obvious na hindi magagawa ng bata ang ganyang kahusay na assignment,
pero tsinek niya at binigyan pa rin ng 100%.
What do you call that? CORRUPTION! When that child becomes a senator,
he will do the same thing! When that child becomes a congressman, he
will do the same thing! When that child becomes a mayor, he will do

the same thing! When the child becomes a PRESIDENT he will do the
same thing! When he becomes a PARISH PRIEST, he will also do the same
thing! When he becomes a BISHOP, he will also do the same thing!!
Hindi kami exempted sa simbahan, at alam ninyo when it comes to moral
authority, & moral ascendancy, hindi kami exempted- ang simbahan sa
corruption! Dapat din kaming umamin sa pagkakasala sa simbahan dahil
marami rin katiwalian at pangungurakot na nangyayari sa loob ng
simbahan. And I am sure as parishioners, sometimes you feel very
indignant for lack of financial accountability of your own parish
priest... Totoo po ba ito? And if you are feeling like that, it
means, LAHAT TAYO, NOBODY is exempted from that call, on that call to
PENANCE! Lahat tayo kasangkot sa pagtatama sa mga pagkakamali sa
ating lipunan. We cannot just make a tall order as one person to do
it all.
GMA entered the system and that system was already rotten. And I am
not saying this to justify her. Because I think, if she did what
people claim she did, she really must resign. If she did, what people
claim she did, she has no right to be there. In the name of truth, in
the name of justice. But we are dealing with a whole system that
created ourselves. At lahat tayo ay may bahagi dito. Si Fr. Tanseco,
isang Jesuita kaninang umaga sa article niya sa Phil. Star, meron
siya ki-noute na isang author. Sumulat ng isang libro na ang pamagat
ay "12 Little Things Everey Filipino can do to help the Country."
1. Follow traffic rules. Period! Sumunod sa batas.
2. When you buy something, ask for an official receipt.
3. Do not buy smuggled or pirated or stolen products. Esp. pirated. Ilan kaya sa inyong naka-upo dito ang mayroong pirated DVD, VCD sa
Kanilang bahay, inyong mga kuwarto? And yet you say' "Thou shall not
Steal."? Ano ang tawag diyan? Pagnanakaw! That's corruption! ARAY!
Kasi mayroon din ako sa kuwarto ko. Hindi ko sinasabi ito na parang
playing self-righteous.
I am saying this so that we can start humbly admitting our share in
all of these.
4. When talking to other people of other country, Be proud of your
Country.
5. Respect your Traffic Officers, Policemen and Soldiers.
6. Do not litter. Dispose garbage properly. Segregate, compose and
recycle. Kung ikaw ay nakasakay ng sasakyan at itatapon mo ang basura
sa kalsada, ano ang tingin mo sa inyong bansa? Isang MALAKING
BASURAHAN!! Kaya nagiging basurahan ang bansa natin.
7. Support your church.
8. During elections, do your solemn duty.
9. Pay your employees well.
10. Pay your taxes properly.
11. Adopt a scholar or a poor child.
12. Be a good parent Teach your children good values. Teach them to
follow the law. Teach them to LOVE OUR COUNTRY.

I think we have to begin by loving our country all over again. And in
the spirit of prayer and discernment, we can address our issue of
Justice.
And so together, for the rest of this Eucharistic Celebration, I
would like to ask you to please HEED THE CALL OF THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS
CONFERENCE OF THE PHILIPPINES FOR SOBRIETY, FOR PRAYER, AND
DISCERNMENT AND FOR TAKING AN ACTIVE PART IN THE SOLUTION. Because we
are ourselves, each one of us, is also a part of the problem of this
country.