"SERMON IN THE BLOG"
DO THIS, IN MEMORY OF ME... These are the words the Lord Jesus Christ said upon to his desciples before his capture, trial and execution. These words also shown to use that he himself commands us to accept the task of taking up his promise in the way he himself carried over-incuding the way of action like the cleansing of the temple of moneylenders who truned his father's house into a den of thieves.
Yes, that like his actions, he wanted us to open our eyes, break off the cycle of illusion, and to wage a struggle against those who ensalave us in this modern-day world. That we ough to take the cross as we continue to advance in our arduous struggle.
But despite these, what the system ought to enforce us, and our faith is to limit our actions and be contented in our prevailing conditions, that to be deviant regardless of what the Bible said is heretical, all contrary to the prevailing dogma of submission and coercion.
If so, then it is not enough for us, followers of God to remain simply contented. That obviously, despite our vocations done, we are still being fooled enough by a system that promises all the time and less of action. That often also used our faith as a mere substitute.
Such challenges nowadays, at first makes a person be weakened by a series of hecklings, taunts or whatsoever just to satisfy their own stances, yet despite these it gives rather a strength and an idea to counter their heckling loudmouths who, as if like Supernatural beings and Intellectuals, in other words, Charlatans.
And somehow in this era of enforced contentment and apathy, what the system didn't notice much is how come Christ speaks of action as part of practising our faith? Of not limiting it to spiritual redemption but also social ones? To do preferential option to the poor and to underake in the scene of mass struggles?
Sounds messanic to others as it to be undertaken. But too far from those who carry amulets and speak of the coming doom according to them. The message of faith though action makes our faith worthy and alive, that fulfills enough the promise of God as the people ought to understood.
And speaking of Charlatans, of amulet-carrying fanatics, these people are merely audiences, less likely participants of a greater battle, and as that battle advances to a higher stage and every one of them are called upon to change and assume a new, bigger task in broadening their participation in the campaign to subvert the system and to destroy the rotten features and vestiges, of expanding public opinion and struggle of the people, perhaps lies the necessity to reach beyond our boundaries and to develop our socio-political involvement in the context our faith.
As Christians, it is a long jounrey for us to advance th struggle regarless of such challenges, obstacles that may possibly weaken our will and our strength. As the Bible calls us to carry our crosses, so are we in carrying the task of serving the people faithfully in the realms of struggle.
After all,
The Lord simply directs us all in order to fulfill his message not by a mere spiritual masturbation but of direct action. He at first came to the world not to speak, bring peace but to use a sword willing to destroy an order contrary to the wishes of the people. Most people died doing it but at least they do it "In memory of Me" as Christ said in the last supper.
All our efforts, such as countering rabid fanaticism, irrationality and of putting us in bad light, advances forth all despite their reprisals and actions just to destroy the growing faith that "can move mountains and gush forth water ina barren land." Spiritual emancipation in fact is not enough to be call a Christian, like any other religion so to speak, but through showing a path of advancement and of change that is good for us makes our faith worthy.
Our Muslim brothers for example, taking up struggle requires countless reflections and rectifications in order to do so, since that struggle meant taking up the cause of Allah. That includes taking up the sword, but the most important is of getting concerned with combatting evil and in the attempt to evade such temptations; of speaking the truth, of choosing to do what is right and to combat such injustices and what is wrong with action.
Once Ali Shariati, a Shiite Muslim, believed that Shia should not merely await the return of the 12th Imam but should actively work to hasten his return by fighting for social justice, "even to the point of embracing martyrdom", saying "everyday is Ashoura, every place is Karbala."
Such sentiment bring to the conclusion that a major social change ought to be taken a solution, Christian and Muslim alike stood for progression in the way of God as the struggle continues to its advancement. The reactionaries may find it difficult to counter the growing progression unlike before when the Fundamentalists as if steering everything backwards just to maintain the rotten social order using faith as its own reasons, that in fact, increases such conditions deteriorating than improving, such as rampant poverty and the like. Gustavo Gutierrez, a Dominican priest speaks much of the Preferential Option for the Poor, that "Poverty is not fate, it is a condition; it is not a misfortune, it is an injustice. It is the result of social structures and mental and cultural categories, it is linked to the way in which society has been built, in its various manifestations."
Indeed, that makes the Church, and the people pushed through the means to alleviate poverty-that even resorted to the use of arms fighting for National Liberation as a highest form of struggle for the people. That, after undergoing an agonizing process of inner conversion, making a collective decision, to renounce the comforts and privileges, of their position and take the bitter cup of sacrifice and serve the Revolution.
Alluding to the scene at the Garden of Gethsemane, where Christ, confronted by the supreme test of his life, overcame the temptation of indicisiveness to face his enemies who had come to crucify him.
And nowadays, we are ought to awaken ourselves, to break the flow, of tide and to experience a liberating kind of discipleship and mission, as most of us beleive in a faith, that is revolutionary in character, that mvoes mountains and renews the face of this Earth.
And thus,
To join hand-in-hand, and march forward with the people, as pilgrims towards a new promised land where justice, freedom, equality, love, and peace flows like milk and honey.
