As I read the Gospel this Sunday, I remember a song from our theatre play production in 2014 about the struggles of the indigenous people in the defense of their ancestral domain.
Tags: Balik-Tanaw
Balik-Tanaw | *Triumph in the wilderness
By LEVI ALBANIA United Methodist Church Psalms 25: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 Genesis 9: 8-15 First Peter 3: 18-22 Mark 1: 12-15 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted[a] by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.…
Balik-Tanaw | Of Immersion and Baptism
An immersed church is very much capable of taking the side of the poor, and those who have been wronged by the system. We need a Church that denounces the powers-that-be who have entitled themselves to an exclusive right to accumulate properties, profits, and personal benefits at the expense the poor.
Balik-Tanaw | 16th Sunday after Pentecost: And the Last Shall Be First
The grumblings of the “firsts” maybe being popularly interpreted at present through the lenses of workers receiving and experiencing unjust wages and unfair working conditions and, thus, problematizes the employer in the parable itself. However, even in its conventional or traditional meaning, the parable is very clear about what it is saying about the republic of God.
Balik-Tanaw | From Fear to Hope
As a Church it is essential to be in mission by following Christ with courage to stand firm and move forward in the midst of persecution and fear.
Balik-Tanaw | Pentecostes: Si Hesus: Ang Propeta, Ang Kristo
Ang mga propeta ang gumabay sa kanila sa mahabang panahon at tumulong upang marinig ang mensahe ni Yahweh sa ginta ng iba’t ibang paghihirap at pagkalimot.
Balik-Tanaw | Pentecost: The Unshakeable Faith of the Canaanite Woman
The reality of the pandemic only exposes the viciousness, the corruption, and indifference of our leaders. Worst, they took advantage of the pandemic to amass more wealth, abuse their authority, show their sheer negligence and apathy to the people’s welfare and well-being, and their utmost disregard for civil liberties and human rights.
Balik-Tanaw | 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time: An invitation to abundant life
Our governments have created structures and supported systems which aggravated this separation by worshiping the god of mammon in the altar of profit. As we can see, the coronavirus pandemic has nakedly exposed and is slowly breaking down all these propped up global economic structures and systems that dehumanizes the world. We cannot breathe anymore!
Balik-Tanaw | Pentecost: The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
As Christians, who do God’s work, we are being called to be like treasure hunters–to prioritize the Kingdom of heaven and work for the common good of all persons. God teaches us to focus on the treasures of heaven and earth and what matters most – the dignity of life.
Balik-Tanaw | Pentecost: Fear No One
It’s hard to be a prophet; it is difficult to tell and live by the truth, to raise our voice and denounce what is wrong. It is more comfortable to remain at the margins in silence and pretend not to see and hear what is happening, or to let the others talk. Still, if one wants a real change in our society, a community faithful to the Gospel and more docile to the spirit, if one aspires to a newness of life, prophets are needed. Like Jeremiah, may we have the courage to say what the Lord tells us, even at the risk of life.
Balik-Tanaw | Trinity Sunday: A Reflection on the Trinity, the Great Commission … and the Anti-Terrorism Bill
COVID-19 has revealed the deep roots of systemic injustice and reminds us why seeking justice, pursuing peace is essential. We have seen thousands of cases of extra-judicial killings, of arrests, of the intensification of attacks and threats against community leaders, human rights defenders, and political dissenters. Living out our faith in Jesus is more than ever important when laws like the Anti-Terrorism Bill of 2020 are enacted. The current Human Security Act of 2007 which will replace it is problematic enough