Amongness, not upness

Many of us may still be stuck with that distorted belief that Almighty God is up, up there in heaven — watching us who are down, down here on earth. An image of the cosmic judge, forever ready to punish the bad and reward the good.

Today’s Gospel reading (Jn. 3: 14-21) once again assures us that the ever-loving God is down, down here among us, so that we can experience His Presence and His Love, and share this with one another. That is why we call this 4th Sunday of Lent as “Laetare Sunday,” translated as “Sunday of Rejoicing,” even in the middle of the Lenten Season.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him” (vv. 16-17).

Oftentimes, you and I are like Nicodemus in today’s Gospel event. He was a member of the ruling Sanhedrin. Like him, we feel we are well-informed believers and leaders of the faith. We know what is right and what is wrong. And yet, in our deepest moments of self-awareness, we also know how often we have failed to follow God’s love all the way. A lack or absence of inner awareness of His omnipresence within us and all around us. His boundless, limitless love for us is the reality that we still find difficult to experience as a habit. It may take a lifelong effort on our part but we must never give up. It is the only way to mystical spirituality, instead of being self-righteous leaders of dogma, doctrine, and ritual of head-oriented religion. Let us keep reminding ourselves that the language of God is the language of the heart, and not the language of logic. In fact, the language of love is often illogical, as we know from the very person and teachings of Christ.

According to logic: What is mine is mine, and what is yours is yours. What I decide to do with mine is my own business, and what you decide to do with yours is your own business. According to God’s law of love: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul. And love your neighbor as you love yourself. God’s love is for all, and therefore, God’s creation is for the good and well-being of all. We are God’s stewards, and must use our time, talents, and treasures according to God’s designs. This is where social justice comes in, as the condition of true love.

God’s creation is for all. Land, food, shelter, and whatever is needed for decent, human life. Thus, a more equitable distribution of God’s resources is at the heart of the Lord’s love for all humanity. No family should have too much, and no family should have too little. Love and justice are the two sides of the same coin. Thus, true love of neighbor cannot but be just.

Let us take the issue of land ownership. Our God-inspired Constitution of 1987 mandates the State to “undertake an agrarian reform program founded on the right of farmers and regular farmworkers, who are landless, to own directly or collectively the lands they till…To this end, the state shall encourage and undertake the just distribution of all agricultural lands, subject to such priorities and reasonable retention limits as the Congress may prescribe, taking into account ecological, developmental, or equity considerations, and subject to the payment of just compensation” (Art. III, Sec. 4). The following year, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) was enacted into law. In all objectivity, it has accomplished much for the benefit of farmers in the last 20 years. According to DAR, CARP has distributed 7.2 million hectares of agricultural lands to 4.5 million beneficiaries, “The highest land transfer recorded in the history of agrarian reform worldwide.”

Unfortunately, much more needs to be done. The implementing budget of CARP ends on June 30, 2009. In the meantime, its Land Acquisition and Distribution (LAD) target has a backlog of 1.3 million hectares. And so to support the poor farmers, there is a social justice bill pending in Congress, introduced by Cong. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel and Sen. Gringo Honasan. It is called CARP Extension with Reforms (CARPER). As summarized in a primer by Veritas 846, its salient provisions are the following:

1. Compulsory Land Acquisition and Distribution with at least 147 Billion Pesos from the General Appropriations Act.

2. Collateral free credit and increasing support services to farmer beneficiaries.

3. Actual and peaceful installation of farmer beneficiaries.

4. Indefeasibility of Emancipation Patents (EP) and Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs).

5. Recognition of Women as program beneficiaries in the CARP.

6. Creation of an Oversight Committee.

7. Recognition of farmers’ legal standing in cases.

8. Protection of farmers from harassment cases.

9. Prohibition on conversion of agricultural lands.

10. Increase penalty for obstruction of CARP implementation.

With God’s love, let us do whatever we can within our moral influence for the passage of CARPER. God’s loving presence is among us, and all around us. Amen.