I wonder how the people of Israel felt when they were enslaved in Egypt for such a long time and they were losing hope.
(0:00:26) Yet some of them held on to the word of God. So when Moses came and told the Pharaohs, let my people go, the hope sprang up. Just like today, as we commemorate [the] 40th year of EDSA Revolution, I can still remember how the 15 year old version of Alan Cayetano was there with confusion, excitement, [and] hope for our nation.
(0:00:57) But Mr. President, dear colleagues, when the Egyptians pursued the people of Israel to the desert, the two-week or 11-day walk or travel to the promised land turned out to be 40 years. And it was not only disobedience, but also the Lord in His wisdom said or showed Moses, that they cannot enter as conquerors if their mindset was still of slaves. Very similar, Mr. President, that during the Spanish times, prayer after prayer, blood was spilled. Our national heroes wanted independence, yet we were turned over to the Americans.
(0:01:51) But in 1906, from Spanish, English became our language of government and instruction, which was liberation by itself because Spanish was already allowed to be used by those who are in the elite. 40 years later, 1946, we left the Commonwealth of the United States of America and was independent. The famous statement of our president then was that ‘he would rather have a government run like hell by Filipinos rather than a government run by heaven by the Americans’. Unfortunately, for the next decades, in many ways, our government was run like hell. And that is why in 1986, EDSA revolution took place. Today, as we celebrate 40 years, we celebrate hope.
(0:02:50) But we also have that sense of feeling that, hindi ba tayo paikot-ikot lang? Hindi ba mas malaki ang ninanakaw ngayon? Hindi ba mas malaki ang problema sa moralidad, sa idolatry, sa corruption, and everything? But again, Mr. President, we started this prayer with Jeremiah 29:11. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope in the future. We hold on to this, Lord God.
(0:03:22) Make us realize, Lord God, the problem is spiritual, its values, its ethics, its morality, its character. So if we keep thinking that the solution is political or economic, we will go in circles. But once we surrender to you, mighty God, look at your will and why you created us.
(0:03:44) So we ask you, Lord God, that we do that as a chamber. We have different advocacies, different ideas, but we were all made by you in your image. So we submit to you today and pray for the next 40 years in Jesus’ name. Amen.
