Paglaum: An Inter-faith Journey for theCommon Good

Participants joined yesterday’s event: “Paglaum: An Inter-faith Journey for the Common Good” at the Archbishop’s Residence.

The event’s invitation noted that “the upcoming midterm elections present a juncture in our narrative of nation-building. It allows us the opportunity, once more, to get back on the track of sustainable/inclusive development that recognizes the dignity inherent in all persons and to strengthen our democratic institutions.”

Guided by the pastoral statement of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines urging voters to “seek the common good” on May 13, election day, various organizations of lay people and civil society have come together to respond to this exhortation and Pope Francis’ words that “A good Catholic meddles in politics offering the best of himself so that those who govern can govern well.”

The inter-faith journey seeks to gather all to join together and lift to God our united prayers of praise, thanksgiving, and petition to him for healing and reconciliation of our wounded community and nation.

Everyone is enjoined to unite together, in full faith and hope, to believe and be amazed at how God will lead our people, our country, to victory, God’s victory, through clean, honest, peaceful elections of his genuine servant-leaders!

Recent survey results add to the growing apprehension and sense of surrender that this election will be one with a lot of gold, goons, and guns, where power and wealth will again reign, where people will follow the scent of money and sell their votes. There is a mounting build-up and spread of this dim scenario that this has happened before and is wont to happen again this May.

We are inviting all Filipinos, however, to unite, to pray with full hope and faith, that though we may not have power and wealth, we have God, our most powerful Father. Now, more than ever, as a Church and as a people of God, we wish to express this same faith and hope that a clean and honest election is possible, if we work in prayerful, grateful unity, faith, and hope to ensure its success.

Let us pray together --that is key! Unity in prayer, unity in hope, unity in faith!

Together, in full faith, let us claim God’s victory, for nothing is impossible with God!

From today, let us continue together, to put into action our faith and hope and see God emerge victorious this May 13!

Join us in reciting this collective prayer daily at 8 p.m.: “Dear God, thank you for your grace for a safe, honest, peaceful elections of your genuine servant-leaders.”

Please form prayer brigades.

Let us bombard social and other forms of media with daily hopeful prayers to thank God for taking over this crucial election for us.

Remember when Joshua and his people thought it was impossible to defeat Jericho, a heavily-guarded city with strong walls? (Joshua 6:1–27)

But they won, with God’s help!

Joshua and his people, together, obediently and faithfully listened and followed God’s instructions “to walk around the walls of Jericho once a day for six days. On the seventh day, they were to walk around the walls seven times. After the seventh circuit around the walls, the priests were to sound the trumpets and the entire army was to give a shout. When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.”

God’s words: “Go with the strength you have… I will be with you!” (Judges 6:11-16)