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By JC de los Reyes

It is quite interesting that a friend and Ang Kapatiran and Kaya Natin! supporter, Atty. Grace Rinoza- Plazo wrote me an email centering on my political crusade from my mother’s vantage point. She looked at it from that angle. What is more interesting is that her email coincided with the fact that I had a rare, deep, heart to heart talk with her a few days prior.

My mother is an amazing woman who feels the burdens I have for this country. While deep inside she cheers me on, her instinct dictates that I go the easy road, the easy life. She intimated that she would rather I have a convenient and comfortable lifestyle, like the success that we see on TV./movies or the elusive financial success…awards, socio-civic, political achievements, thriving business, features in magazines, etc. She told me my politics will not bring me that. I do not blame her.

Her father, a politician, was shot in the head after 3 assassination attempts. Her daughter, my sister, 10 years old, was also murdered in 1982. Whatever she thinks or says…or how traumatic our history is… she is responsible for me somehow and she had a tremendous impact on how I look at the world…how I look at life.

Modern day moms will want modern day successes, maybe like that of young business tycoons or politically savvy Chiz Escudero or those young men and women in congress…frankly, that is the farthest thing in my heart. If, as Nandy and PCP II say that politics has been debased and prostituted and I say government has assumed the role of a panderer, a pimp…who would want to dirty himself in it? I am forced to stay on in politics because awang awa na ako sa mga mahihirap. I also have to fight for my children’s future. Justice demands that those who have been blessed with a good, comfortable life should do battle with a rotten, corrupt system, oppressive to God’s beloved children – the poor and the marginalized.

What caught my attention with Atty. Grace’s email is how she connected patriotism and motherhood, where homemakers are at the fore-front of dreaming of a better world. But shall mothers stop at dreaming? I propose that ideally, real moms not only dream of a better world for their children, they raise their children to shape a better world. The word ‘authority’ comes from author. What do we want to author in our children?

This profound thought is not original to me. William Ross Wallace poem praises motherhood as the preeminent force that will change the world:

Woman, how divine your mission, Here upon our natal sod! Keep, oh, keep the young heart open, Always to the breath of God! All true trophies of the ages, Are from mother-love impearled; For the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world

This is not original to Wallace either. This was revealed two thousand years ago to a humble and obedient 14 year old virgin. When her sister Elizabeth confirmed her blessed infanticipation, she proclaimed: “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…he has scattered those who are proud, brought down rulers and lifted the humble…”

Mary hungered for social justice. She connected her worship with her womb. She glorified God because of the blessed child who will cause the fall of rulers and rise of the lowly. Perhaps this was why she was “blessed among women.”

While Simeon’s prophecy of heart-brokenness and future suffering should crush the soul of an ordinary woman, Mary was not ordinary. I would argue that she was a ready and willing vessel, in fact exultant that ‘a sword will pierce her soul.’ There was a prophecy of her pain but this burden was a humble offering and part of the unfolding of her son’s role in salvation history. I say she was ecstatic (Atty. Grace used this word) as all she needed to do was to trust God and all she needed to be was a mother.

Simeon’s words: “This child (Jesus) is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel …the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

My reflection is this; that servant leaders are products of servant mothers. Servant mothers not only give of themselves to their families, they give of themselves to humanity. Lastly, true followers of Christ will cause the falling and rising of many (in the Philippines).

(JC de los Reyes is an Olongapo City Councilor)

 

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1. How Ondoy Changed My Nation

 

 

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