Faith and People Power

On the day, all the impeachment complaints were rejected by the House Committee on Justice, the spiritual messages in our daily readings did not readily make sense to one frustrated and angry with the rule or tyranny of numbers.

The first reading made me ask, "Are you kidding me, Lord?" Psalm 98:4-6 carried the following message: "Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. Sing praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. With trumpets and the sound of horn sing joyfully before the King, the Lord."

"Lord, how can you expect us to sing and celebrate when attempts to have the truth revealed were squashed by GMA supporters?"

I was guided to reread the whole Psalm 98;1-3, and 7-9 as follows: "Sing a new song to the Lord; for he has done wonderful things! By his own power and holy strength, he has won the victory. The Lord announced his victory; he made his saving power known to the nations. He kept his promise to the people of Israel with loyalty and constant love for them. All people everywhere have seen the victory of our God… Roar sea, and every creature in you; sing, earth, and all who live on you! Clap your hands, you rivers; you hills, sing together with joy before the Lord, because He comes to rule the earth. He will rule the peoples of the world with justice and fairness."

Moving on to Charles Stanley's Enter His Gates, A Daily Journey into the Master's Presence, the September 1 page had the following message: Theme: The Prison Gate, representing Deliverance!

The Lord promised in Isaiah 45:2, "I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gate of bronze and cut the bars of iron."

The Didache reflection read: " Have you given up hope? Plant more seeds."

It was as if I heard the Lord say, "you people have done your part. Why don't you step aside and let Me handle this My Way, in My Time?"

Then, the gloom and darkness left me and I finally understood the Lord's message the day the impeachment complaints were killed!

"Stay in faith, stay with me, let go and let Me God go before you and straighten the crooked places and break the gate of bronze and cut the bars of iron that block truth."

Finally, I understood the meaning of Psalm 98 and why those who want the truth to come out should rejoice, sing joyfully, play the harp, and celebrate the latest defeat in the hands of the majority in Congress. God will do this battle of truth for us from now on! That is the first and most important reason to rejoice!

Then, we also celebrate that there are still those in Congress who believe in truth and honesty. We also celebrate that many among the young leaders stood for truth and honesty-giving us and our people more hope for better leaders in the future!

As our mood got lighter and brighter as we turned to song and celebration, we remembered those calling on People Power as answer to the death of the impeachment moves.

We remembered, upon deep reflection, that it was not people power in EDSA that brought down presidents. Rather, it was first the faith, the belief that change was needed and possible, and then courage borne out of faith and prayers of a united people that led millions of Filipinos to take the initial, bold steps to EDSA.

Those who remember know that it was not anger nor darkness that our people brought to EDSA 1 but rather faith and hope, chants, songs, prayers, sharing, so much care, discipline, and unity among themselves. Despite the political hell, EDSA 1 was a picture of an egalitarian, caring society, of a heaven suddenly descended on our people and on our land. God's miracle and the Mama Mary's intervention in driving out presidents came after our people showed their faith and courage through songs, celebration, and oneness.

"Have you given up hope? Plant more seeds." Spread the message of God's deliverance despite the present political and economic prison gates. Let all the church bells toll in celebration, let all those who go out in the streets or stay where they are sing in jubilation, in prayer, in thanksgiving, for God's deliverance is surely coming, in His own time, in His own way!

This is the time for all of us to remember to trust, to believe, to stay in God's truth always! This is the time to celebrate and break out into songs of hope and faith!

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