"Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice… No one can prevent you from being aware of each step you take or each breath in and breath out." Thich Nhat Hanh
One afternoon, I was rushing coming back from doing errands. I had not eaten lunch yet when a phone call from a kababayan, Jannelle So, an anchor of KSCI-18 called. She asked me to be in her television program to answer live calls from folks about the upcoming May 2010 elections, to discuss the latest forum I was part of, celebrating the anniversary of People Power I: the installation of the presidency of Corazon Aquino and the end of the Marcos dictatorship. I consciously said yes. Yes to helping spread information, yes to reaching other kababayans. But, my yes took me out of my comfort zone. For I preferred to eat lunch, take a nap and then, resume writing. Yet, it seemed my comfort zone would be a zone of imprisoning me to my physical comforts, to the detriment of my spiritual aspirations.
What are those spiritual aspirations? When I am confronted with causes for social justice and equality, my inner spirit tells me to take a higher road, the road using positive words, energies and activities, the road of higher aspirations. Instead of simply condemning injustice, my spirit says do more to “ to educate folks on the sanctity of the ballot and their role in monitoring elections to be clean. “ This way, you can build something positive, a foundation anchored on responsible, moral citizenship.
Take for example a people’s forum on clean elections I was part of, there were three of us in the panel: Fr. Rodel Balagtas, David Paraiso and myself. I listened intently to David Paraiso recite facts and figures, portraying the dire state of the Philippines, the state of poverty, the state of the GDP, the state of health care, the state of education, the state of jobs, the state of unemployment. However you slice and dice the facts and figures, I noticed the faces of the audience, they were quickly getting depressed in realizing Congressional Budget and Planning Office’ statistic that 86 out of 100 families in the Philippines live in poverty levels.
So, when it was my turn to speak, I distilled Fr. Rodel Balagtas’ words: “ Harvesting the nuggets of grace from God. “ I fired myself up, remembering those words: harvest what is good, harvest what is right. I reminded the audience of our shining examples to the world: our EDSA I, our People Power, when we said yes to God, yes to rosaries, yes to prayers, yes to flowers, yes to pancit and lumpia for three days in Feb. 25-27, 1986. Not a bullet was fired, not a single blood was shed, we collectively stood up for justice, we collectively said no to dictatorship, no to violence, no to tanks and battalions of soldiers and no to guns.
Philippines stood as a shining example of choosing light, choosing the spirit of God in those volatile days of political ferment. We can do the same now, be a poll watcher by visiting the country in May 2010, ask our relatives to be poll watchers, spread the word on the traits of a good president that needs to be chosen, spread the word on the sanctity of the democratic process and to preserve the integrity of their ballot!
Each day, we can choose God’s grace to be with us, to take notice of the fields of wildflowers, the blue skies, the bright sun, but mostly the kindnesses of folks around us. Notice we have priests like Fr. Meloy and Fr. Rodel who take their homilies seriously and prepare to give us the best spiritual wisdom? Not only do they research what the bible readings are, they too are looking for nuggets of grace to pass on to us, to consciously uplift us to be kind to one another. Notice the choir led by Pete Avendano and how they are not out of tune, but in synchrony, singing with passion, Ang Bayan Ko, My Country and the tears which flowed, from parishioners so moved they spontaneously clapped? Notice how some parishioners come from a distance, choosing this church, this small “ can do “ church whose masses uplift you to higher levels of aspirations, connecting us to the Higher Source to be of service to others? Notice how much lighter you are in your steps when you walk out of the service, perhaps choosing to linger for a moment to feel the goodness in others?
I do! Because of this bountiful harvest of goodness that surrounds me, I am persuading my friends to come worship at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. To me, for every positive person I attract to this church, I believe I am increasing God’s people power on earth! For through Him, all goodness comes and all is possible! And even more cycles of goodness to be created and recreated, as we act as one of God’s prizes on earth, conscious that we embody positive energies and inspiring actions towards others. Indeed, people’s power start with us, we are the Efren Penafloridas we are waiting for, God’s prizes on earth for us to connect and be of service to one another towards the highest common good!
Fr. Rodel said it best “ harvest the nuggets of grace “, as if we are mining the good in every one we meet!
Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz is a member of IHMC and a four decade and half community volunteer towards causes of leadership development, civil rights, supporting non-profits and higher education curricular reform. She is a current editorial opinion writer for Asian Journal. She was a former Commissioner of Civil Service and Convention Center for Los Angeles City.
