Let devotion grow into a sense of mission

LOGARTA

Orlando P. Carvajal’s column, “Opiate 1” (implies that “Opiate 2” will follow) closes with this scathing declaration: “Thus, it appears to me now as an adult that the teeming masses of poor Filipinos are the descendants of the guileless Christian natives that now continue to run to the Sto. Niño and the Black Nazarene for deliverance from poverty, ignorance and ill health. They have to run to God for deliverance because it is also clear that today’s descendants and inheritors of the colonized and debasing leadership style continue to so unchristianly fail to give due and effective attention to the people’s physical needs.”

I agree with him in the sense that the quality of our religious practices reflects the realities that we survive in. Before local governments had been criticized that side by side with our elaborate celebration of the Holy Child, we have the problems of street children, child labor and child prostitution. But there are those who have matured in their religious practice. For instance, we have Hon. Agnes Almendras-Magpale leading the provincial government’s Committee on the Welfare of Children in the effort to fight cyberpornography exploiting our children at the same time she supports the Sto. Niño Fiesta Celebration. But maybe we need to expand the magnitude of Christian support for the needs especially of our children during these

fiesta days. Maybe our sense of gratitude our intense faith should lead us to ask: What would be the best offering that would bring a smile to the Niño?
Our devotion to the Christ Child needs to be transformed into a commitment to what matters most to Him. Recent gospel readings have emphasized that Christ was always more concerned about helping and healing rather than laws and rituals. It is not difficult to find an avenue for our desire to express our faith through concern for the plight of our children. Dila-ab Foundation has nurtured street children. They have gathered from our streets. On weekends they are bathed before catechism and tutoring sessions. They are supported in their schooling not only physically and materially but also emotionally. Every effort has been exerted to give rise to a sense of worth that a child of God should have.

Dila-ab works with barangay officials and peace officers in the rehabilitation of drug dependents. This assists the young drug dependents directly. With the adult drug dependents, Dila-ab’s assistance in the healing process helps the children of the dependents by the effort of rebuilding the family. The center of their sessions is the Word of God.

We can also support the efforts of Children’s Legal Bureau (CLB). Primarily, this non-government organization focuses on the defense of children’s rights. Aside from the legal defense of children victimized by their own relatives, CLB is engaged in the education of communities regarding cyberpornography. The deception that the fact that the children are not touched results in no negative effects has to end.

A very important activity of CLB is the assertion of the value of the Juvenile Justice Law. Children in conflict with the law have to be treated as such not as criminals. This is very demanding because the community has many things to set up to actually make this work. The mental and cultural barriers, the attitudes toward wrongdoing — these are such difficult obstacles to transcend. CLB needs all the devoted and committed support for the task.

For the educator devotees of the Sto. Niño, let me share Fr. Tito Caluag’s thought: “Let us love our students into excellence.” As devotees of the Christ Child this is our mission: to bring out the very best in them.