Hey, Poch

Hey, Poch, it doesn't take much to reach someone who is in tune with you. The object of your benevolence can quickly understand the whole music you intend to sing at the very first note you strike, and he finishes the entire song in his head in cadence with your beat. Surprised? Yes, you would be. It was easy for the object to follow you. Why? Because, the song, unknown to your object's consciousness had been with his subconscious, already partially composed at the time you came to him. It most likely came to him like it did to you, because of similar exposure and experience, that is, you were both exposed to a similar environment - subjected to similar conditions in life and profession – culture, religion, schooling, needs, wants and aspirations. By responding in the most admirable responsible manner to my written note of concern, you did a great justice to yourself, and I bet you know it. Your message of understanding made you a lot bigger than I last read you. You quickly redeemed whatever you may have lost which was not much really, not as great as what a closed-minded Christian have already lost in his life. For sure, yes. [Huwag po sana magalit ang mga hindi closed-minded] You are right of course in saying how puny any damage you may have caused the forum compared to the damage wrought by the Catholic Church in its unchecked wayward hundred of years of keeping its flock "innocent" of the true ways of the faith, and making them "ignorant" of their real potentials for greatness as a "believing" and loyal people to their God. I have to agree to a large extend of these damages and very much reminded of it every time I pass the wretched barong barongs of our poor, seeing before me the people - skinny, dirty, ill clothed and poorly sheltered in patched up houses. Their state of health unmistakably tells me how little food they are able to eat. You certainly have an excellent ability to describe in words what evils and horrors you knew the Church had unknowingly or purposely done to its flock and you felt compelled by your kind conscience, learned early from your Christian teachers and parents, to sympathize and it drove you with reckless abandon to expose them in the hope that the rightful changes might be done soon before everything is lost - by primarily attacking the clergy and the unknowing, docile and passive people, urging them to wake up and see the world as you have seen them, and for the love of their Jesus and the strength of their faith make amends and do right! There is absolutely nothing wrong there. You could not stop yourself as courageous Rizal himself could not stop when he made his expose' in two agitating "conscience" stirring books that caused vindictive annoying thoughts and great shame to the Spanish Friars and Authorities who were the evil perpetrators then, and the objects of Rizal's wounded heart and his vicious deadly weapons – his pens. But like the passive Filipinos in Rizal’s time, whose minds were held captive by the powerful Church, the same attitude of passivity met your honorable intentions. This is largely because they are ignorant of your song, don’t know how to read the strange but authentic notes of awakening, of liberty, of the truly free; and if a few do, they robotically continued along the notes of old familiar music that give them much ease, comfort, peace and no sore throat. The new, strange and unknown music scare our people of the faith. It is not a mystery why if we know how they were indoctrinated. The indoctrination helps very well in keeping the flock from wandering into new, strange and unknown territories. This is precisely why you and Rizal had experienced a lot of resistance in your quest to educate and persuade.

In Rizal’s case, he was smart enough to know from experience of the insurmountable quest in the time frame he envisioned a successful revolution. He knew the date of the proposed revolution wasn’t his reckoned time, so he turned down the invitations for him to join the revolution. I, too, could not wholeheartedly join your cause, no matter how much I am convinced that the Church has to change rabbit fast instead of turtle fast that we see it move in what we think is the new and more progressive directions. Slomo itong Church, dahil nga ayaw nila makamalay ang tao na sila ay nagkamali. Hindi maari masabi ng tao, “Aba, kalian lang ginawa, babaguhin kaagad?” Dahan dahan hanggang makalimot sa tagal at hindi na mainit ang ulo ng taong bayan. Alam ko ang malaking pagkukulang ng ating mamayan. Matagal din akong social activist. Even those who pride themselves to be learned, highly “educated” daw sila dahil nga may mga diploma, may masters at PhDs. Pero asaan naman nila naipasok ang mga ito – loyalty, love of country, patriotism, nationalism, subsidiarity, love for neighbors, community involvement, solidarity, etc,, na siyang dapat matutuhan at gawin ng responsibling taong bayan? How were the desire to build a great nation taught and inculcated? Ah, was it ever taught? You, my dear friend, Poch, by your dedication and will to help re-educate our Christian people, is not only in the right frame of mind, in the right track, but most of all, by your act you are showing everyone what a truly educated Filipino is all about. Forget the once in a while silakbo, it’s not an everyday happening. Besides,It is something that sticks for long until old age in many because we were wrongly educated to know, learn and apply it from the INFORMAL education of experience – exposing the young mind to people around them with this highly catching SILAKBO disease/syndrome. What more unwanted traits did we catch that stick like glue until our senior age? You do well my friend, even if you are misunderstood. When I say misunderstood it does not mean referring to you as a failure. It only means you have it in you to succeed once you explore different tact. It does not mean that you will always be a failure. The next time around should be more telling as a success story. It is a different ball game we are in now, at our age. It calls for accepting that the background has radically changed and understanding the need to go with the change. Often we find ourselves irritated when we realize that we need to find new ways to do our usual tasks and unable to find them. Hindi katulad ng dati. We are fortunate that we have freed our minds because we are quick to adapt. Pity those closed minds who have shut them to your fine music because they’ll find it much harder to adapt. They failed to understand that you are only trying your best to make it easy for them to adapt to the ever changing world, they who, at this time, know only to outright reject you. Frankly, I feel this new world of ours awaits another Christ to make a large dent of a change. I don’t mean the Christ who promised to return 2012 years ago. The new Christ must be able to sing a new song, one that no one has heard of yet but one that has been sought and waited for a long time now and have been etched well into our subconscious. When he comes, you and I may find it easy to understand and we will sing his song in chorus. But what of the others? The question speaks clearly of our love for our neighbors, eh, Poch? Take care, pal Ogie