LONG-TIME actress and politician Alma Moreno made this phrase famous when she was interviewed by Karen Davila in 2015 as she was gunning for senatorial post in 2016 elections.
The phrase, along with Moreno's image clasping her hands together as if in prayer, became a meme and went viral on different social media platforms. The meme is often used to connote someone's ignorance on a matter or someone's incompetence to do what he is tasked or expected to do.
But these days when manmade and natural calamities are happening here and there, people can only do so much as "dasal lang talaga."
Dasal or payer is never a laughing matter when calamities strike.
It is during these times when everyone's belief does not matter, but it is how we practice our faith through our deeds, like praying.
It is during these times when questioning and challenging other religions are uncalled for, but rather it is the time when all are called to pray to the Holy Being whom we believe to be the Creator of all things, visible and not.
The conflict between Iran and US which was predicted by many to bring into another world war, Australia's wildfires, and the Philippines' recent natural disasters like earthquakes, typhoons, and volcanic eruption are more than enough reason to seek God's help and salvation through prayer. After all, their aftermath will not single out anybody.
Floods due to typhoon will submerge all on its path; wildfires turn to ashes all the things where these traverse; missiles from warring countries can be miscalculated and instead kill innocent civilians from an innocent country; earthquakes devastate all they encompass.
Nothing but our prayer can prevent their aftermath when these calamities happen.
For the war freaks who are expecting and waiting for the World War 3 to happen, for those who are joyful in the suffering of the Mindanaoans because of the earthquakes or the suffering of Australians because of the wildfires, for those who blame Catholics for the series of misfortunes our country is facing, and for those who are not affected directly, may we instead pray that God will help us and prevent these calamities to happen.
May we have a prayerful heart instead rather than a heart filled with ill will this 2020. Let us make heaven here on earth even in times of adversities.