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“Suffering” and “death” are the only two words that seem to characterize the devastation brought about by Typhoon Haiyan or Yolanda in Central Philippines, as clearly heard from victims’ stories and seen in the news. Despite the appaling destruction, though, “hope” and “joy” also shine forth amid that anguish – a hope and joy that can only come from the promise of Christ’s Resurrection.
Jesus’ Resurrection is the foundation of the Christian faith. However, without a clear understanding of why He died…or got killed…the Resurrection may become a mere supernatural tale to the uninitiated. Christ’s Death was caused by His desire for change: from old to new, from fear to love, from darkness to light.
In Latin America and Africa, where the Church continues to grow rapidly, the work of the Church was not always easy. Violence and political strife always compounded the work of priests, missionaries and lay persons. Even in the face of death, however, these modern-day martyrs served as a beacon of Christ wherever they went, spreading His message of love and the hope of the Resurrection.
Over time, the ever-changing political, social and economic landscape around the world has given rise to a new kind of journalism, one that seems to have shed the values of the once highly-esteemed journalistic profession. However, because
of the demands and challenges of today’s world, a new kind of journalism is needed, one that honors the time-honored values of the profession, one that places man, and not money, back at the center of the world…and much more.
“I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the Gospel…” (1 Cor 9:22-23). To become “all” for the sake of proclaiming the Good News is such a difficult task. And yet St. Paul, the Apostle to the Nations, did exactly that to win souls for Jesus Christ. He became everything, and resorted to the use of anything, to save those under or outside God’s law. St. Paul’s challenge to proclaimers of the Gospel was not only practiced during his time. It had a profound and lasting effect throughout Christian history. In fact, it is still being lived to this day, as seen in the missionary activity during the last few centuries.
Those who encounter Jesus for the first time are stunned by the passion and intensity that He put into His words – words that have astonishing depth and different levels of meaning, have an awesome relevance to human pain, and an amazing power to build confidence in human hearts. Jesus used local images with such color and sparkle that they cannot fail to persuade and convince. He appealed to the inner instincts of human beings in such a way that listeners are compelled to weigh the challenges He proposes, not because of their demanding harshness, but because of their enticing power.
God shows us that we too must first love others. When we achieve this stage of the Christian life, we have graduated. We need, first, to apply that love is the answer before expecting others to do the same. And forgiveness is a straight path to unconditional love.
To use the emotion of fear is contrary to the teaching and spirit of Jesus. Any attempt to induce fear must be roundly rejected. The primacy of love must be the context to motivate members. It is a call not to act on an emotion but
to will to love.
I’m not sure whose lives the big corporations which produce GMO seeds, together with the doubtful herbicides and pesticides this type of crops requires, are interested in improving. Certainly not the Indian farmers who have lost everything and taken their own lives. Unfortunately, there is too little factual information regarding the effects of GMO products that is available and provided by the technology developers. In farming terms, that is letting the fox guard the hen house.
Dwindling agro-biodiversity at all levels is a result of decades of agribusiness, and that’s why we are living in a great age of extinction. GMO crops only further this model. First, because of their engineered resistance to herbicides, the net result is that herbicide use has increased. Due to the emergence of resistant pests, more applications of pesticides and herbicides are necessary to prevent loss of profit in these massive monocultures. The mantra that GMO foods will save the world from famine are just words. And can’t fill bellies, just some pockets.
