WHAT are we afraid of? Why are we no longer voicing out our minds? Why do we think silently? Where are the champions of justice? Where are the protectors of human rights? Where are the defenders of the faith? In short, where is Spider man?
We do not need Spiderman, Superman, Wonder woman, Shazam, the Avengers, the Starks or the Fantastic 4 to help us and stop all these killings. What we need is to voice out that killing in the strongest terms is wrong and should be stopped!
Our dear Bishops of the Negros Island had issued a collegial pastoral statement condemning the series of unjust murders in the island. Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos; Bishop Patricio Buzon of Bacolod; Bishop Louie Galbines of Kabankalan and Bishop Julito Cortes of Dumaguete wrote "As Pastors, we have unequivocally denounced the total disregard of the primacy and sanctity of human life." They also pointed out that the number of victims of killings in Negros is imaginable. Nine in October 20; six in December 27; and 14 on March 30 while in period of just a week (July 18-27), 21 were killed.
I admire our dear Negros Bishops for coming out with a strong stand against killings. However, it seems that the appeal fell on deaf ears. Many are apathetic of the appeal of the Bishops. If we continue to be deaf and mute, these killings and murders will continue and will even knock at our doors soon. But still the fact remains that many are still unmindful of the unimaginable events happening in the island. Many are afraid to make a stand. Why?
So, let the sound tolling of the church bells penetrate our hearts and listen to the strong decibels whispering in our ears that we should stand up and shout to stop the killing in our island. We have to rally behind the call of our bishops and let the strong spears of the tolling church bells hit the hearts of those who are disrespecting human life. Let our voices be heard by those who unmindfully kill our brethren.
Let us also pour out our feelings and our prayer as we communally pray the oratio imperata as requested by our Bishops. Let us all seek God's intercession in this artificial and man-made calamity of death in our midst.
St. Ezekiel Moreno, St. Sebastian, St. Catherine of Alexandria; St. Charles Borromeo; and St. Francis Xavier. Pray for us.