POPE FRANCIS LEGACY: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CRISIS

Pope Francis is gone. His death marks the end of a papacy that was as transformative as it was turbulent. Admired by the whole world for his humility, he embraced the marginalized, challenged rigid traditions, and set the Church on a path of reform. Yet, within the institution he sought to renew, resistance simmered. His revolution left the Catholic Church in turmoil, its future uncertain, its unity fractured.

As I reflect on his legacy, three defining images flash before my mind – each a moment where his actions echoed those of Christ, where mercy triumphed over judgment, and where tradition was challenged in the name of love.

1. Who am I to judge? – Mercy Over Judgment

When asked about gay individuals in the priesthood, Pope Francis’ response – Who am I to judge? – sent shockwaves through the religious world. The simplicity of his words carried profound implications, shifting the Church’s tone from exclusion to grace.

Pope Francis met the LGBT+ community

A Reflection of Christ’s Mercy

His statement mirrors Jesus’ response to the adulterous woman facing death by stoning: Neither do I condemn you. (John 8:1-11). Jesus defied the legalism of his time, offering redemption instead of punishment. Likewise, Pope Francis reframed the conversation – not dismissing doctrine, but elevating human dignity above moral superiority.

Authority and Humility

When Jesus challenged the accusers, Let he who is without sin cast the first stone, he dismantled their self-righteousness, exposing their own imperfections. Pope Francis did the same. Refusing to sit in moral judgment, he disrupted the expectation that religious authority should enforce rigid verdicts on identity.

Jesus and the adulterous woman

A Church of Inclusion

Jesus’ final words to the woman – Go and sin no more – were not condemnation but an invitation: an opportunity for transformation. Pope Francis embodied this spirit, envisioning a Church that welcomes rather than excludes, and guides rather than dictates.

His message was clear: mercy is more transformative than judgment.

2. Washing the Feet of Muslim Women Refugees – A Radical Gesture of Inclusion

On Holy Thursday, Pope Francis bent down to wash the feet of Muslim women refugees – an act of humility that transcended cultural and religious boundaries. The image evoked Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-26), an episode of radical inclusion in a divided world.

Pope Francis washes the feet of migrants

Defying Cultural Barriers

Jesus’ dialogue with the Samaritan woman was groundbreaking – not only was she a woman, but she belonged to a despised group. Yet, instead of rejection, Jesus offered her living water, a metaphor for salvation that extended beyond religious walls.

Similarly, Pope Francis washed the feet of Muslim women, a gesture unheard of in previous papal traditions. He demonstrated that service knows no creed, love knows no borders, and dignity belongs to all.

Leadership Rooted in Service

Jesus approached the Samaritan woman not as a ruler but as a seeker, engaging in conversation rather than declaring judgment. Pope Francis embodied this same principle, performing a servant’s act of humility that challenged hierarchy and redefined leadership as service.

Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well

Faith Without Boundaries

Where Jesus’ words transcended religious structures, Pope Francis’ actions declared that compassion overrides division. In a world where faith is often wielded as a weapon of separation, his gesture called instead for unity.

3. Hugging the Man the World Feared to Touch – Redemption Through Love

One of the most unforgettable moments of Pope Francis’ papacy was his embrace of Vinicio Riva, a man suffering from neurofibromatosis, a condition that caused disfiguring tumors across his body. Society had rejected him, treating him as something monstrous. But Pope Francis did not recoil – he held Vinicio tightly, an echo of Christ touching the untouchable.

Pope Francis and Vinicio

Breaking Taboos

In Jesus’ time, lepers were feared and isolated, believed to be spiritually unclean. No one touched them. Yet, when a leper approached Jesus and pleaded, Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean, Jesus did the unthinkable – he touched him (Matthew 8:1-4)

Pope Francis did the same. He did not flinch, did not hesitate, rejecting fear in favor of love.

Healing Beyond the Physical

Jesus’ touch did more than cure diseases – it restored dignity. Likewise, Pope Francis’ embrace was more than an act of kindness – it told Vinicio, You are seen. You are worthy of love.

In a world where suffering is often met with avoidance, these moments of contact were not just compassionate – they were revolutionary.

Jesus and the leper

A Prophet Without Honor

Despite his radical acts of mercy, Pope Francis became the most hated man within the Catholic Church. The Guardian documented the ferocious backlash against him in its article The War Against Pope Francis, stating:

“Those who hate him most are not atheists, or protestants, or Muslims, but some of his followers. Outside the church, he is hugely popular as a figure of almost ostentatious modesty and humility… But within the church, Francis has provoked a ferocious backlash from conservatives who fear that his spirit will divide the church, and could even shatter it.”

Personal attacks were vicious: “We can’t wait for him to die. It’s unprintable what we say in private. Whenever two priests meet, they talk about how awful Bergoglio is … he’s like Caligula: if he had a horse, he’d make him cardinal.”

It brings to mind Jesus’ own words:

“A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own country, and among his people.” (Matthew13:57)

The Aftermath of His Revolution

Now, Pope Francis is gone. His revolutionary spirit left behind a Catholic Church caught between renewal and resistance. In Europe, worshippers are leaving in droves. Even Francis admitted in 2019:

“Faith in Europe and much of the West is no longer an obvious presumption but is often denied, derided, marginalized, and ridiculed.”

The decay is tangible.

A Personal Encounter with the Secularization of Faith

During my trip to Belgium last year with my wife, we saw this crisis firsthand. I wrote in my travelogue:

“As we drove through Belgium, we caught sight of a striking scene – a dilapidated Catholic church. Its once-majestic walls stood bare, stripped of their roof, open to the sky like a hollow shell of its former self. Weeds crept through the cracks in the stone, and the wind whispered through broken windows, carrying an eerie silence that spoke volumes.”

Abandoned Catholic Church in Belgium

Even the preservation of faith had changed. Mario, our host, told us that a wealthy man bought an old church – not to worship, but to honor his devout mother’s wishes. Now privately owned, it functions as an adoration sanctuary without a Mass or priest.

The metaphor is haunting: rather than the Church saving man, man had saved the Church – for 1.2 million euros.

The Vineyard at the Crossroads

Pope Francis planted seeds of renewal, hoping for a vineyard of inclusion and mercy. But now, the Church stands at a crossroads.

Will the vineyard flourish in the sunlight of reform?

Or will it wither, pruned back to its former state?

Only time will tell.

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WHEN HOPE FEELS LOST: FINDING LIGHT IN DARKEST NIGHT

 

Two years ago, during Easter 2023, an atheist friend posed two simple yet staggering questions: "What is Easter? Why should you be happy?"

Far from being a theologian, I responded through my ATABAY article Easter Letter to My Atheist Friend not with doctrine, but with a story - a story of a boy named Kian, a seventeen-year-old from a struggling family of four.

His mother worked as a domestic helper in Saudi Arabia. His father ran a modest sari-sari store – an enterprise Kian helped manage every morning from 5:30 a.m. to noon before heading to school. His nights ended with small talk among neighborhood friends, walking familiar streets, breathing in the life of a community that knew him well.

The Memories They Hold

For those closest to him, Kian lives on in fragments of memory.

For Ed, his childhood friend, Kian is that boy who would break into a disco dance as they jogged past Eternal Gardens.

For Manny, his older brother figure, it was Kian asking for help writing a love song.

For Marie, his neighbor, it was their boat rides to school – every conversation punctuated with a punchline.

Those were snapshots of a boy full of life as captured by Richard Calayeg Cornelio in his Philippine Collegian article. But on that night, at around eight, Kian’s story was rewritten.

Kian delos Santos

A Life Cut Short

Near his home, plainclothes officers arrived on motorcycles, handguns drawn. In an instant, they grabbed him, struck him, and dragged him away in a headlock.

Later, Kian’s body lay curled against a muddy corner near a pigsty. He wore a blue shirt and boxer shorts. A gun was found in his left hand – despite him being right-handed – an inconsistency that echoes louder than words when he tested negative for gunpowder residue.

The autopsy revealed the horror: Two gunshot wounds to the head – one inside his ear, another behind it. A third bullet in the chest. Fired at close range, the gunman stood over him while he kneeled, face-down, most likely begging for mercy.

A witness heard Kian scream, “Tama na po! May test pa ako bukas!” (Stop, please! I have a test tomorrow!) His last words – pleading and desperate.

The Cry of Abandonment

In this Lenten season, Kian’s final moments bring to mind another desperate cry – one that shook the earth from noon to three in utter darkness:

“My God, my God, why have You abandoned me?”

We all wrestle with this anguish. Why me? When the weight of loss is unbearable, when a future slips through grasping fingers, when dreams scatter like dust.

Why me, Lord? Passing this test meant everything to me and my family.

What could passing that test mean for Kian?

A step closer to his dream – of no longer using cooking oil to massage his father’s aching limbs. A step closer to his dream – of bringing his mother home so she could leave behind the hardships of domestic work overseas. A step closer to his dream – of beds for every sibling in the family. A step closer to his dream – of growing their sari-sari store, the small business that sustained them. A step closer to his dream – of becoming a policeman.

How cruel the irony.

The Unanswered Questions

As I sat writing the letter, my Bible rested beside another book “Disappointment with God” by Philip Yancey on my desk. I hadn’t placed it there intentionally. Maybe, somehow, I anticipated my atheist friend’s disappointment with my answer. 

Yancey’s book raises three piercing questions:

Is God unfair?

Is He silent?

Is He hidden?

Kian’s family, like so many others, was too poor to afford a proper burial. His grave was leased for five years – after which his remains were dug up to make room for someone else.

Still, Scripture is filled with promises for the poor: “Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and oppressed.” (Ps 86:1) “If the poor cry out to me, I will hear them; for I am compassionate.” (Ex 22:26) “For I know the Lord will secure justice for the needy, rights for the poor.” (Ps 140:13)

God’s love for the poor is proclaimed over and over in the Bible. And yet – where is He in their suffering? Even theologian C.S. Lewis, grieving his wife’s death, asked:

Where is God?

Where the Cross Stands

I struggled to find an answer to my atheist friend’s questions. Then, Yancey’s words surfaced:

“Isn’t that what God did at Calvary?... The cross that held Jesus’ body, naked and scarred, exposed all the violence and injustice of this world.”

“No one is exempt from tragedy or disappointment – not even God Himself.”

Good Friday shattered the illusion that life is fair. Easter Sunday revealed the answer beyond fairness – the promise of redemption.

Easter is a glimpse of what is to come.

A Hole in My Letter

I closed my letter with a passage from Revelation 21:4.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning, or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

This was the final word I offered my atheist friend, followed by a simple “Happy Easter.” Yet, inwardly, I myself doubted he was gratified with my answer. Maybe I was no different from Doubting Thomas, waiting for proof.

And in that uncertainty, I left a hole in my letter. A longing. A rhetorical question:

Haven’t we felt in our bones that the International Criminal Court is God’s intervention?

History Moves by God’s Hands

On March 11, 2025, nearly two years after I penned that “Easter Letter to my Atheist Friend,” the unthinkable happened: former president Duterte was arrested and flown to The Hague.

The event unfolded with a swiftness that defied logic, a series of twists and turns that seemed almost surreal. For a man whose popularity, power, and influence had cast a long shadow over the nation, such an outcome felt inconceivable. His vast network, his grip on the country’s political machinery – these were barriers that, by human reckoning, appeared insurmountable.

And yet, history moved. Not by human hands alone, but by a force greater than any earthly power. As the popular verse in the Bible goes, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

What seemed unattainable became reality. What felt like a distant hope became a moment etched in time. The rest, as they say, is history – a history written not just by the hands of men, but by the unseen hand of God, guiding the arc of justice toward its rightful end.

And today, this Easter, may we embrace its quiet yet undeniable truth – the triumph of hope over despair, of justice over silence, of love over loss.

May we find meaning not only in the resurrection but in the resilience of the human spirit, in the unwavering belief that light will break through even the darkest nights.

As we stand in the presence of this promise, may we look at one another, with unburdened hearts that truly mean it when we say: “I’m happy this Easter.”

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LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE: MAKING SENSE OF POLITICAL CIRCUS

 

They say politics is show business for gimmicky people, but late-night comedians have turned it into a comedy goldmine. Humor, after all, is like a truth serum wrapped in a punchline – it reveals what we’re all thinking but too polite (or terrified) to say out loud. 

Jokes are a safe outlet for expressing repressed thoughts and emotions. And who better to wield this power than the late-night hosts, who transform political absurdities into laugh-out-loud moments that make us think, cringe, and occasionally spit out our coffee?

To keep this discussion timely and relevant, let’s tackle the recent pause on U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs – a decision that has stirred both relief and uncertainty. Trump, in a move that surprised many, hit the snooze button on his big beautiful tariffs, delaying them for 90 days. While the financial world breathed a sigh of relief, the underlying turmoil remains undeniable.

Late-night hosts, known for their sharp wit and incisive commentary, wasted no time grappling with this development. Take Jimmy Kimmel, for instance, whose quick-witted observations captured the absurd situation.

Kimmel quipped:

“Think about that, the best thing Trump has ever done for America was undo the incredibly dumb thing he did. Imagine if he quits - he could usher in a new era of prosperity.”

The laughter that followed underscored the biting truth embedded in his humor. Kimmel didn’t stop there. He pointed out the lack of strategy behind Trump’s decision, remarking:

“Not only doesn’t he have a plan, he doesn’t understand why he did this. Maybe he did it to distract us from all the other horrible stuff.”

He then enumerated a litany of issues, from deporting college students to firing officials tasked with combating diseases and wildfires, to attacking judges, journalists, and lawyers. His punchlines, though humorous, painted a sobering picture of the administration’s actions.

A Monkey Flying The Plane

In one particularly striking analogy, Kimmel likened Trump’s leadership to a monkey flying the plane.

Kimmel joked:

“Almost half the passengers say, ‘I think the monkey’s doing a good job. It’s still in the air. I like the monkey. Look out the window, gang – the plane’s pointing down.’”

The laughter that followed was tinged with unease, as the metaphor hit uncomfortably close to home. Kimmel didn’t hold back when addressing the follies of Trump’s recent policies. Tone dripping with incredulity, he pointed out:

“These supposed violent criminal migrants he shipped off to a prison in El Salvador – turns out 90% of them have no criminal records. Somehow, a bunch of people with no criminal records got sent to prison in another country by a guy who does.”

The irony was as sharp as his delivery, leaving the audience laughing and reflecting.

Shower Heads

But Kimmel wasn’t done. He pivoted to another bizarre focus of the administration.

“But what is he focused on? I’ll tell you what – shower heads.”

Kimmel ribbed, before rolling a clip of Trump lamenting water pressure. In the video, Trump declared:

“You wash your hands, and in my case, I like to take a nice shower to take care of my beautiful hair. I have to stand in the shower for 15 minutes, till it gets wet. It comes out drip, drip, drip. It’s ridiculous.”

Kimmel, ever the provocateur, seized the moment for a cheeky punchline:

“I believe that’s how Stormy [Daniels] described it too.”

The audience erupted in laughter.

Female hosts and comedians are no strangers to the humor race, as demonstrated by the quick-witted duo of Desi Lydic and Olivia Munn. Their sharp banter cuts through the noise, delivering biting commentary on Trump’s tariff policies.

Desi Lydic opened with a pointed question:

“How does any of [these tariffs] make up the trade deficit?”

Olivia Munn, ever the sharp observer, responded with a dose of humor and insight:

“Desi, baby girl, it’s not the trade deficit. This is all to make up for Donald Trump’s enormous deficit of attention and love. He said that much last night.”

The duo then played a clip of Trump’s boasting:

“I’m telling you these countries are calling us up, kissing my ass. They are. They are dying to make a deal. Please, please, sir. Make a deal.”

A Boy

“See? He’s just a boy, standing in front of the world asking to have his ass kissed.” Munn quipped. “And once the world fills the aching hole in his heart, the tariffs will end.”

“But that will not happen,” Lydic said with a knowing nod.  “There’s not enough attention in the world to make him feel like a human again.”

“Exactly,” Munn wryly concluded, leaving the audience laughing – and thinking.

Seth Meyers, another late-night heavyweight, offered his incisive take on the tariff turmoil.

 

“Trump seemed very pleased on Wednesday with the rally he caused by single-handedly tanking the markets and then reversing himself,” Meyers remarked, then played a clip of Trump proudly saying:

“We were up, like, close to 3,000 points. Nobody’s ever seen a day like that. I think that’s a record, isn’t it, fellas?”

“Because you tanked it. You set a house on fire.  Then you called the fire department. And now you want credit for saving the house from the fire you started,” retorted Meyers, cutting through the bravado. Mimicking Trump’s voice, he added:

“The house is still there. You’re welcome. Yes, lots of it very black, and everything’s wet.” Meyer’s humor underscores an unvarnished truth as he asserted:

“The reality is, there was never a grand plan. There are clearer ways to revitalize American industry and create good-paying union jobs. But slapping arbitrary, made-up tariffs on islands populated by penguins obviously won’t do that.”

Bizarre Tariff Formula

These absurd tariffs haven’t escaped the scrutiny of economic experts either. Words like folly, bizarre, and madness have been used to describe the Trump administration’s tariff formula. While the approach of reciprocity - giving countries a taste of their medicine - might have superficial appeal, closer examination reveals its flaw.

Leading U.S. economist Brent Neiman, whose research was cited by the Trump administration to justify sweeping tariffs, publicly stated that the White House got his calculations very wrong, overstating the tariffs by a factor of four. Neiman wrote:

“The biggest mistake was treating bilateral trade deficits as proof of protectionism. That’s just wrong.”

Such a glaring economic misstep underscores the folly of these policies, leaving little need for late-night comedians to hold up a mirror to the Trump administration’s error. The world is already laughing.

In the end, humor remains one of the sharpest tools for dissecting the madness of modern politics. Late-night comedians, with their fearless wit and biting satire, transform political chaos into moments of clarity, forcing us to confront uncomfortable truths while keeping us entertained. Their jokes are never just jokes - they hold a mirror to society, exposing contradictions, failures, and sheer unpredictability of leadership.

And perhaps that’s why, in times of uncertainty and upheaval, we turn to them. Because laughter is the best medicine – not just for the soul, but for navigating the dizzying whirlwind of political folly. When reason falters and rhetoric obscures reality, humor cuts through the noise, reminding us to think critically while still finding reasons to smile.

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WHAT'S RIGHT AND WRONG WITH PH? A PATH THROUGH CHALLENGES AND HOPE

 

Does this morning rush sound familiar to you?

Clad in your company’s crisp uniform, you navigate the kitchen with urgency, your steps tapping out a rhythm on the tiled floor. Somewhere in the background, an old FM radio hums to life, filling the space with the cheerful strains of the Beatles’ Good Day Sunshine.

The warm melody dances through the air, momentarily brushing against your hurried thoughts with optimism: I feel good, in a special way, I’m in love and it’s a sunny day… But the music’s sunny charm struggles to compete with the clock’s relentless ticking, mocking your rush. Your hands move with practiced precision – or so you think. 

You set water to boil, retrieve eggs from the fridge, and open the bread box. The bread box yawns empty, halting your momentum and catching you off guard. Sheesh. A pang of annoyance gnaws at you briefly softened by the upbeat refrain of Good Day Sunshine.

But its warmth can’t quiet a deeper discomfort - the faint echo of your decision you made last week. Voting for the undeserving union president now weighs heavily on your conscience, its shadow tugging at the edges of your thoughts like loose threads unraveling.

The kettle shrieks, jolting you back to the present. You pour water with steady hands, only to glance at the counter and realize you’ve forgotten to soft-boil the eggs. Gosh. They sit there, uncracked and untouched, a silent testament to your absentmindedness.

From the sala, your mother looks up from her sewing, her needle poised mid-air. Her eyes narrow slightly, observing you as you hover, seemingly trapped between motion and stillness. Then she speaks, her voice cutting through the air like the needle through the fabric.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Her words pierce the room, resonating not just with curiosity but with the weight of everything unspoken. You blink, her question hanging unanswered, as silence settles like morning dew.

In this episode, replace “you” with “the Philippines,” and the question transforms into: “What’s wrong with the Philippines?” The “mother” becomes the “world,” watching with curiosity and concern.

Just as you experience mental tension in the kitchen, grappling with conflicting beliefs about your voting decision, so too does the Philippines wrestle with cognitive dissonance following its choice in the 2022 presidential election: The term nabudol (swindled) encapsulates the aftermath – a landscape littered with guilt, shame, and rationalizations that clutter the UniTeam’s “road to nowhere.”

The dissonance in your kitchen mirrors the psycho-emotional tension in the Philippine political landscape today. The question “What’s wrong with the Philippines?” first surfaced during Bongbong Marcos’s landslide victory. Shortly after, Bangkok Post’s Gwynne Dyer posed the same question, writing:

“Bongbong Marcos didn’t just win the presidential election in the Philippines... He won it by a two-to-one landslide, despite the fact that he is the extremely entitled son of a former president who stole at least US$10 billion and a mother who spent the loot partly on the world’s most extensive collection of designer shoes (3,000 pairs).”

Months before the election, I published a “pre-game” ATABAY article titled Millennials’ Query: Will I Vote For Bongbong? urging voters to examine five critical factors.

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Factor 1. Loot

If you Google “Marcos Loot,” you will get 5,610,000 results in 0.53 seconds. Top 10 results:

1. “P174B recovered from Marcos loot, P125B more to get” – Rappler, Sep 29, 2021

2. “The $10bn question: what happened to the Marcos millions?” – The Guardian, May 7, 2016

3. “Unexplained wealth of the Marcos family” – Wikipedia

4. ‘Where did Marcos Hide His $10 Billion Fortune? – Bloomberg, June 28, 2021

5. “Marcos’ loot: the details – and the relevance today – CMFR-Phil, Oct 8, 2021

6. “Law of Duterte Land: Marcos ill-gotten loot and where to find it” – Facebook, Oct 5, 2021

7. “Anti-graft court orders turnover to PH gov’t of P1B Marcos loot” – YouTube

8. “Marcos stashed multibillion loot” – Inquirer, Sep 17, 2017

9. “Marcos Loot May Be Shared by Filipino Victims” – The New York Times, Oct 28, 1995

10. “The Buddha, the gold, and the myth: How Marcos looted the Central Bank” – Amazon, Jan 1, 1997

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I cited 4 other factors based on the economic wreckage by Marcos (Sr.) regime and other qualitative insights. Yet, Filipinos still cast their votes for him.

Today, the same voters who celebrated Bongbong’s victory are now calling for his impeachment. This recalls Thomas Jefferson’s admonition: “The government you elect is the government you deserve.”

Oddly, attempts to impeach Bongbong seem to bounce off him with little effect. Why? The controversies surrounding him – like the bangag swipe - were already public knowledge before the election. Despite the noise, voters chose him. Now, criticisms are met with shrugs, dismissed in the local dialect: “Kumita na yan” (That’s old news).

As the question “What’s Wrong With The Philippines” breathes new life, it casts a shadow over the election lurking around the corner. Imagine this: a future senator of the Philippines could be among the FBI’s Most Wanted for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, and sex trafficking of children.

Argh, let’s shift gears. What’s right with the Philippines?

CNN recently bannered: “Wanted world leaders cast a wary eye at The Hague as Duterte languishes in ICC custody.” His dramatic arrest sent shockwaves across the globe, spotlighting other leaders wanted by the ICC - setting a precedent for their trials.

Not so fast, you might say. After all, we’re dealing with seemingly untouchable figures like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Yet, a still small voice inside me reassures: “Don’t be afraid. The whole shebang fits like a glove to a hand in God’s plan.”

As Apostle Paul uplifts, “God has chosen what the world considers foolish, to shame the wise; he has chosen what the world considers weak to shame the strong. God has chosen common and unimportant people… so that no mortal may boast before God.” (1 Corinthians 1: 28-29)

The ICC prosecutes individuals responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide – ensuring justice for victims. Ironically, U.S. President Trump sanctioned the ICC, hindering access to justice while shielding ally Netanyahu and buddy Putin. Philanthropist George Clooney aptly highlights this contradiction:

“It is rather astonishing that the United States does not play ball with the ICC, considering our country was the beacon of the idea of an international criminal court.”

For the Philippines, wonder of wonders, all the pieces fit God’s plan. This sentiment echoes the essence of a Philstar headline: “Duterte case seen as a ‘gift’ for embattled ICC.” Let me fortify: it’s “God’s gift.” In this pivotal moment, the Philippines stands on the right side of history playing a monumental role as the ICC’s David against the Goliaths of this world.

As the day draws to a close, you find yourself resting on your bed, weary and drained from the weight of it all. Yet, your mind remains preoccupied, turning over a trio of providential messages that seem to echo through the corridors of this soul-stirring geopolitical drama – messages that may, in the end, seal the fates of its key players.

From Pope Francis to Trump, whose policies of mass deportation cast long shadows: “It will end badly.” From Apostle Paul to Duterte whose God-is-stupid defiance reverberates: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” From Pope John Paul II to the Filipino people, a beacon of hope: “I wish to tell you of my special desire that the Filipinos will become the foremost missionaries of the Church in Asia.”

As these words linger in your thoughts, you close your tired eyes. Somewhere in the background, a gentle melody rises, carrying you into slumber. The lyrics, soft yet resolute, cradle your spirit:

God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me.

And so, the day ends not in despair, but in quiet faith – a reminder that even in the chaos of the world, there is a path, unseen but certain, waiting to unfold.

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BREAKING FREE: A JOURNEY FROM POLITICAL IDOLATRY TO TRUE FAITH

It often begins with a whisper -- a quiet doubt in the back of the mind, a nagging feeling that something is not quite right. For some, this moment of awakening comes gradually; for others, it arrives like a lightning bolt, shattering long-held beliefs. What happens when political loyalty starts to resemble religious devotion? And what does it take to break free?

I recently came across a Facebook post by Noslen titled A DDS Before, Now Not Anymore. His first line gripped me: “I used to be a DDS…” This simple yet powerful statement reminded me of a profound transformation – one that echoes the Christian process of conversion. His title itself brings to mind the words of Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

"My decision to finally abandon Digong reached a breakpoint when I looked at his fearless blasphemies of our Lord our God." - Noslen

What struck me most was Noslen’s concluding statement: “My decision to finally abandon Digong reached the breakpoint when I looked at his fearless blasphemies of our Lord our God.” It brought to mind how Duterte once made international headlines with The New York Times quoting him: “Who Is This Stupid God?” and ABS-CBN capturing his unapologetic stance: “Totoo naman…If I choose not to believe in any god, what’s the f*****g thing about it? It’s about freedom to choose one.”

Duterte’s assertion mirrors a world without God. His stance directly challenges St. Augustine’s claim that “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.” For many DDS, the search for a strong, protective Freudian Father figure ended with an unwavering devotion to Tatay Digong.

Curiously, this phenomenon isn’t exclusive to the Philippines. In the U.S., Donald Trump’s most ardent followers often call him as their “daddy.” Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat, an expert on authoritarianism and propaganda, describes such figures: “They model themselves and will be whatever they need to be to get to power because they have no morals. They just about getting control."

Amidst this, I also encountered an unsettling Facebook post raising this question: If Duterte has openly called God stupid, why do many DDS still organize prayer rallies? The contradiction is glaring - why would Christians revere a man who disrespects their God? (By the way, a vast majority of Filipinos, around 93%, identify as Christian, according to 2020 Census.)

British Anglican priest and theologian John Stott provides insight into true Christian conversion, describing it as “opening the door to Christ.” He warns against mere religious rituals and outlines a stark distinction:

“You can believe in Christ intellectually and admire Him, you can say your prayers to Him through the keyhole, you can push coins at Him under the door, you can be moral, decent, upright, and good; you can be religious and pious; you can have been baptized and confirmed; you can be deeply versed in the philosophy of religion; you can be a theological student and even an ordained minister – and still not have opened the door to Christ. There is no substitute for this.”

For Christians who remain devoted to Tatay Digong despite his blasphemy, the question lingers: “Have they truly opened the door to Christ? And if so, have they now shut that door from the outside?”

Noslen, however, has made his choice. Perhaps, after hearing this still small voice: “Well Noslen, you blew it again. Want to confess (thus, his FB post) and give life another try tomorrow?”  He has resolved the internal struggle between his then political idol and God. His transformation aligns with philosopher Alfred North Whitehead’s view that religion revolves through three stages – God as the void, God as the enemy (stupid for Duterte), and finally God as the companion. Noslen has reached the final stage, where God is no longer a distant figure but a guiding presence in his life.

As the refrain of a popular Christian song goes:

“Here I am, Lord

Is it I, Lord

I have heard you calling in the night

I will go, Lord,

If you lead me

I will hold your people in my heart.”

True transformation often happens not through grand declarations, but in the quiet depths of one’s soul – what some describe as “the cloud of unknowing.” Many believers have spoken of a sudden wave of light breaking through the darkness as if a voice whispers: “You are accepted by that which is greater than you…”

For DDS struggling with their faith, the Serenity Prayer is particularly relevant.

“God grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change (Thou shall not kill), courage to change things I can (turn away from the DDS conflict of belief), and wisdom to know the difference (humanly let go and divinely let God).”

The origins of this prayer remain somewhat mysterious, but it has been a cornerstone of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) history since 1941.

In his book Further Along The Road Less Traveled, psychiatrist M. Scott Peck, M.D., describes addiction as “the sacred disease.” He explains:

“One way of looking at addiction is to see them as forms of idolatry. For the alcoholic, the bottle becomes an idol. And idolatry comes in many different forms, some of which we’re quite accustomed to recognize. So, there are nondrug addictions, such as addictions to gambling or sex. The idolatry of money is another. 

“To put things in perspective, therefore, it is important for us to keep in mind that there are innumerable kinds of idolatries or addictions, many of which can be far more dangerous than the addiction to drugs. The addiction to power. The addiction to security. In some ways, drug and alcohol addiction may be among the least destructive of addictions or idolatries in terms of their overall cost to society.”

Why does he call addiction a "sacred disease"? Peck answers:

“It is a blessing because it is a disease which breaks people…We are all broken people, but alcoholics can no longer hide it, while the rest of us conceal our wounds behind masks of composure.”

Just as alcoholism visibly breaks each person, so too, does addiction to power break a nation.

In my ATABAY article, Healing A Divided Nation: Duterte Supporters’ Travail, a reader, Bai Max, my friend, posed a critical question: “Where should [the healing] start”?

Perhaps it starts with one small step – Noslen’s step - a first step that, by God's grace in His time, could become a giant leap for the Philippines.

Content & editing put together in collaboration with ChatGPT

Head photo courtesy of Unsplash & Canva

Still photos courtesy of Facebook, GMA News. KAPWING, Pinterest, Wallpapers dotcom, & Brainy Quotes