Election means love

"I give you a new commandment: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for another another." (From today’s Gospel reading, Jn. 13: 34-35).

Jesus strikes at the heart of the matter as we prepare for tomorrow’s local and national elections. How meaningful and apprropriate is His message to all of us at this point in time. Jesus reminds us that the one and only motive for our choices of candidates is our love for our people and our country. To vote for leaders who genuinely love God and God’s people. To elect competent men and women who are maka-Diyos, maka-tao, maka-bayan, at maka-kalikasan.

God will heal and bless our land if we follow His will, which is rooted in His love for us – the crowning point and masterpiece of His divine creation. For as long as we do not turn our backs on Him, He will be there with us, through thick and thin, in joy and in pain, until He brings us to the fullness of His Father’s glory. "I am with you always, until the end of the world." (Mt. 28: 20)

It is in the spirit of all this that our spiritual leader, Archbishop Fernando Capalla, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, addressed his pastoral letter to the People of God on the 2004 elections.

As a final reminder, allow me to quote the three challenges he gave to all of us:

"(1) We have to uphold the constitutional process and the rule of law. Clean, honest, and orderly elections are the hallmarks of a working democracy. There are indeed shortcomings and threats to our democractic way of life. But the freedoms we cherish are best safeguarded by a vigilant and informed citizenry during times of election. The opposite scenario would be recourse to violence, attempted coups, and anarchy.

"(2) We have to work together. In various parts of the country, citizens’ movements for clean elections and good governance have sprung up. These are often multi-sectoral, interfaith groupings of concerned citizens involved in political education, scrutiny of candidates’ qualifications, and poll-watching. With the advances in communications technology, these citizens’ groups have the potential to reach out to all sectors of society. We commend their efforts.

"We support the formation and networking of these groups throughout the country. In our own dioceses, we shall encourage local groups and communities to participate critically in these discussions. In particular, we reiterate the call to the Catholic laity to exercise their Christian responsibility and noble calling to be involved in politics through education in social responsibility, non-partisan poll–watching, in the conscientious choices of candidates, etc.

"(3) We have to believe in our own power to transform society. Clean and meaningful elections and transformed politics depend on ordinary people and on each one of us. We start with our own values and attitudes (e.g., walang hihingi sa panahon ng eleksyon). Let us encourage the teachers, the youth, the police force, military people, and others directly involved in the elections to exercise their roles uprightly. In a Church of the Poor, it is the poor who must take the lead in transforming our society. All of us, especially the poor, must realize that this transformed society requires leaders to be public servants, not providers of favors."

For as long as we courageously commit ourselves to be on God’s side, what is there to be afraid of?

At noon today, Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales will offer a Mass for peaceful and honest elections. All our five presidential candidates have been invited to attend the Mass. Let us all continue to pray for the same intention.

Finally, let us support and vote for the ALAGAD Party-List in Congress. ALAGAD is committed to work for urgent social justice issues: the urban poor, the environment, and family life.

* Pabahay at Serbisyong Panlipunan

* Larangan ng Empleo at Hanapbuhay

* Pangangalaga sa Kalikasan

* Pagpapatibay ng Pamilyang Pilipino sa Harap ng Kahirapan

May God bless us and our country. Amen.