Why ‘Kiko’ comes to us

Have you ever had the chance to ask or wonder why “Kiko” is being sent to the Philippines?

The Papal visit and the level of authority and personalities involved is so high powered that one can only imagine how purpose-filled the Pope’s visit must be. At this level and bearing in mind that God is rational and intentional it would be safe that “Kiko’s” visit is something that should have each and every Filipino trying to understand what GOD is trying to tell us individually and as a nation.

Let’s begin with the question: Why “Kiko”? 

“Kiko” undoubtedly became an entitled personality when he became Pope. Yet this entitled individual denied as much of his entitlement as he could. He rode the bus, bunked with his mates, continued to make his own phone calls. Coming to the Philippines, Kiko’s character poses a challenge to millions of us who have grown up with maids, houseboys, yayas and a deep-seated sense of entitlement fostered by legalism, western media, and social inequality. From the real rich down to the real poor, our lives, posturing and character reflect our individual and collective sense of entitlement. Even the poor use poverty as an excuse to abuse and to justify their entitlement.

Our streets, the way we drive, the way we are driven for, are a daily reflection of our ugly and degenerate sense of entitlement as we impatiently honk our horn, expect to be brought right to the front door of our homes or establishments when we could just as easily walk 10 or 20 meters and not cause traffic, how we honk horns at all hours of the night expecting “servants” to be awake and ready to open the gate whether it is two in the afternoon or two in the morning.

When he became Pope, “Kiko” moved to break down the walls of religious differences and intolerance. He understood that in order to fight evil in the world everybody needed to work as team and be on the same page. Coming to the Philippines, Kiko comes to a nation that has a maze of different walls more complicated than the Kew Gardens can make and longer than the Great Wall of China. But only few of these walls are visible like the ones that serve as the socio-economic demarcation line along Forbes Park, Dasma, Bel-Air, Valle Verde etc. The rest of the walls that divide the nation are far harder to see especially for those who choose to be blind.

These are the walls of status; the Ingliseros, Alabangers, Endurogs versus the Jologs versus the Conyo kids.  There are walls based on the school we came from where those from Ateneo and La Salle foster dislike and disrespect while calling themselves highly educated. Where we from UP or “the better” school hold those from “Others” in contempt or ridicule. There is the wall of our ethnicity that divides us like black magic that opposes love or inter-marriage based on culture, tradition, and language. We have social walls as India has the caste system, one that distinguishes executives and amos from mere employees.

If “Kiko” would fight the evil in this land he would also have to deal with the walls between religious orders and organizations many of whom are much like men suffering various forms of disorders of the body, mind, soul and the pocket, and worst, hypocrisy and covering up of sins and abuse, Catholic and non-Catholic alike. Here it is the politics of religion that causes the rift, not religion. Here religion has become a business in the form of private schools, business investments and where men of the cloth have marketed and promoted their “gifts” such as healing and counsel in exchange for material gain and comfort.

When he became Pope Francis, “Kiko” caught our attention and gained our respect for his acts of kindness and consideration for those in lower positions devotedly performing their jobs. A classic case was when he gave a seat to one of his guards and told him to go for a break. He constantly broke the norm; He defied established ways of doing things because he was more concerned for the person, not the policy. He is about people, not power, not position.

For Filipinos, “Kiko” comes as the example of doing things the “Pope’s Way” and in doing so he will certainly challenge a nation of “Bosses” used to underpaying security guards doubling up as their watch your car boys or “kargadors.” He will challenge those who make their people “all-around servants” and their accountants co-conspirators in tax-evasion while making their secretaries or executive assistants co-accused in the cover-up of affairs or party to them. I wonder what “Kiko” would have to say to military, police or government officials who abuse their underlings in government and make them personal or domestic helpers? Would he have a kind eye to the businessman or businesswoman who parade themselves in church be-jeweled while they force employees to work even on the Lord’s Sabbath? I doubt it.

Early on, Pope Francis showed himself as a leader willing to look himself in the mirror, willing to criticize his own house and undertake the necessary correction in order to be aligned with their calling, their mission and their purpose to serve God and others. How many of us would be willing to do that on a regular basis; to look and ask ourselves in the eye about the quality of our leadership, our integrity, how and what we really are as Bosses, fathers, mothers, husband/wife, or citizen. Would we pass in the eyes of those around us, could we humbly come to terms with our feet of clay and make amends?

“Kiko” will certainly come to encourage us to fight poverty, to fight the corruption that causes poverty and he will speak gently perhaps not meaning or wanting to offend his hosts and his flock. But God on the other hand is no respecter of men or title. Will “Kiko’s” message and example fall on deaf ears? Don’t worry about the 100 million Filipinos, just focus on yourself. If Kiko’s visit leads you to a life changing experience AND a changed life, then the Shepherd would have save at least one lost sheep.

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