There are so many spiritual gems that we can pick up from the recent events rocking this nation. We pray our people will be enlightened by the Holy Spirit and touched by the Lord to see His messages for us all during this historical period, during this year’s Lenten season.
Jeremiah was a reluctant prophet. Remember how he argued with the Lord as follows: (Jeremiah 1): “The Lord said to me, “ I chose you before I gave you life, and before you were born I selected you to be a prophet to the nations. I answered, “Sovereign Lord, I don`t know how to speak; I am too young. But the Lord said to me, “Do not say that you are too young, but go to the people I send you to, and tell them everything I command you to say. Do not be afraid of them, for I will be with you to protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken. Then the Lord reached out, touched my lips, and said to me, Listen, I am giving you authority over nations and kingdoms to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant….Get ready, Jeremiah: Go and tell them everything I command you to say. Do not be afraid of them now or I will make you even more afraid when you are with them.”
Jun Lozada will surely be the first to say he is no prophet; he will certainly refuse to be included in the league of the spiritual giants or the historic figures. He has consistently insisted that he decided to speak out the truth “to save my soul.” Jun has always admitted his sins but that he has decided to repent and take the path of truth, God`s path.
“If we speak the truth, how come we are the ones hiding?” asked Lozada`s children. And Jun is correct to ask all of us in this country too, is this the kind of country that we want to raise our children in, one where evil reigns over good, where liars are rewarded and the truthful and honest punished?
God continued to talk to Jeremiah ( in Jeremiah 1:18-19) Listen Jeremiah! Everyone in this land - the kings of Judah, the officials, the priests and the people – will be against you. But today, I am giving you the strength to resist them; you will be a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. They will not defeat you, for I will be with you to protect you. I the Lord have spoken.”
And at the start of his appearance, Lozada has received and continues to receive his share of persecutions. At the start, even the religious, especially those in the top posts, hesitated to call evil as evil. They called for prayers instead, rather than clearly point out that evil indeed exists and that no compromise should be made with evil, not ever, not anymore.
Lozada will face so much court cases after the Senate hearing. He has compromised his job, his family’s peace and safety, including his own. But he has taken a stand for and with the Lord. That is all he needs. God is all he needs. And that is a message that a reluctant Jun is showing to us all: That God is all we need in our lives. Let us all renounce evil and lies and let us not compromise and worry about who will govern next or be anxious about whether chaos will follow if we do another people power. That is for the Lord to decide – the Lord is merely asking us now to take our stand, our unequivocal stand vs. evil, our clear stand for truth and for the Lord. Show Me your faith, show Me how far you will go for Me and My Truth. Show Me how much you will give up for the sake of truth vs. evil. Then I will show you My Might and Power.
Finally, the CBCP sees the light. Where Jun and the honest whistleblowers will be asked to appear before the courts of law, the Lord has asked him earlier to stand before the podium of truth so that the Filipino people may see the light, may fight for the truth with him and finally, reject evil that has reigned, that has overstayed in this land.
This is one Lenten experience that will definitely be remembered in the history of faith of the Filipino people. Padayon for the Lord!
* * *
Email: cherryb_thefreeman@yahoo.com