The shepherd tried to get these non-white sheep out of the sheep pen. He beat them. He cursed them. He kicked them. He threw them. He hurt them so much, thinking that when these sheep turned back to him, they would be pure white. Alas, a few of them left the sheep pen.

The shepherd, with his undershepherds, tried calling back these few who strayed, but they would no longer listen to his voice. Then the shepherd says, “it’s no problem. They were never part of this sheep pen in the first place. At least we still have all these white sheep with us!”

[Ernest Serote. 25 December 2011. Dumaguete City]

My costume was Zorro, the character played in his latest incarnation by Antonio Banderas. I would have wanted to look as close as possible to the costume worn by Banderas in that film. Unfortunately, in this small city, there were limited places to find some items. For the black outfit, I wore my Obra Ni Juan long sleeved shirt as well as my Obra Ni Juan black pants. I put on black socks and my black Rockport leather shoes. I also brought along my boots that I use when I cut grass on the lawn behind our house, but I felt no need to wear it so I did not put it on. For the cape and the mask, the two-and-a-half meter black cloth from OK Mart was more than sufficient. The extra cloth should have gone to making a makeshift hat, but going into Lee Plaza, we saw cowboy hats that I felt would make a much better alternative. Incidentally, minutes before the start of the party, I saw the same hat at Unitop for a much lower price. Too bad I didn’t check there earlier.

So I had my black outfit, black mask, black shoes, and black hat. But we could not find a suitable sword. We looked at the different stores with toy swords but they were all unsuitable. There was the samurai katana, the ninja-to, the knight’s broadsword, and even fancy blades and knives. But the rapier was not available. I knew I could probably find one at the store that sells ROTC supplies, but I was not prepared to shell out a huge amount for a one-night thing. I also could not find a suitable pair of black gloves.

I was having second thoughts about going to the party in a costume. But since the mask and cape were already done, I decided not to waste Noreen’s efforts in making them and wore the costume–without the gloves, boots, and sword. I was expecting a lot of others wearing the same type of costume, so I did not really consider my costume even a contender for the best in costume for the night.

Although I would love to wear certain costumes, I was not very happy with my costume tonight. I wanted to wear something very well done and complete. Although the mask and cape were quite good, the absence of a pair of gloves and a suitable sword, and the proper boots with spurs dampened my spirits. Nonetheless, I decided to put them on and wear them for the party.

I remember only two other times I wore costumes. Even when we went to the cosplay event at Megamall in the past, I did not wear a costume. Perhaps it was for the same reason I did not enjoy my costume tonight at first. I wanted something very well done, something “perfect.”

The first time I remember wearing a costume was in high school. I was then in my third year at Philippine Science High School. We had a play for our Asian Week and we presented a play where Yoma Kabe was the hero. If you know Salitang Datkilab, you’d know the play on that Japanese sounding name. We went to the Japanese Embassy and they were kind enough to lend us authentic Japanese kimono. But I did not have a sword, so I got a long piece of wood, covered it in foil, made a scabbard, and I had my katana.

The only other time I remember going to a “cosplay” was the Christmas party of the United Methodist Youth Fellowship in Kamuning First United Methodist Church. The theme was school uniform, and I thought of the British boarding schools. I wore a long sleeved shirt and a tie, and partnered it with khaki shorts. I thought I was unique, but there was one other who wore the same kind of costume.

For the cosplay tonight, I was not really excited. I just wanted to get it done with. First, because I did not really like the Mexican theme. I would have wanted greater leeway in choosing the kind of costume to wear. If there was not a specific theme, I would have chosen to be a ninja or a samurai. Or a knight reminiscent of the House Stark of A Game of Thrones, a recently concluded HBO Original mini-series. Perhaps, even an Inquisitor from the far future in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. I would have exerted more effort in coming up with my costume.

Second, because I could not complete my costume. I had no riding boots, spurs, gloves, and a rapier. The cape and the mask used the cheapest kind of cloth we could find. Third, because when we got to the place, there were very few people who had any costume on. It seemed like people were not taking the event seriously enough. This changed a bit when the party started and more people came in costumes. Those who weren’t wearing costumes earlier changed into their costumes.
When the party got under way, I started to enjoy the event. I kept looking out for anyone entering wearing the same outfit. I really liked it that no one else came wearing the same costume. I was unique. And that made me happy. I felt like a celebrity, with people calling out my name, “Zorro!” Of course, it was just my character’s name, but I was happy nonetheless.

When the finalists were called, I was the first one called. I knew then that I would not win, but I decided to just be a sport and participate. I was covered from head to toe, with my face half hidden, but I felt so naked, so incomplete. How could Zorro stand in front without his sword? True enough, I was not chosen as the best in costume, but it was okay. I saw a lot of people clapping in appreciation of my costume, and that was enough for me. Winning would probably have made me more abashed.

It was not only a time of contest, but also a time of fellowship. Joining the games, enjoying the moments, and even winning one event where I participated in, increased my happiness. Being one with my group, whether winning or losing, made me a winner already.

I took home more than a gift for the exchange gifts, and several pieces of food items from the prize. I took home an experience, a memory.

[Ernest Serote. 2011 December 2. Victory Dumaguete]

This, then, is how you should pray:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
[for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. ]
(In some late manuscripts.)

I’m sure we’ve heard this passage before. Many of us many have even committed this to memory. Some may even recite the King James Version, “Our Father, which art in heaven…”

Many Prayers, Many Patterns

When the disciples of Jesus asked him to teach them how to pray as recorded in Luke 11, he gave them this prayer. It has been called the Lord’s Prayer and most Christians of any denomination would easily recognize it and there is usually no disagreement. Christians of every persuation can stand side by side and recite it from memory, although the words they use may be slightly different due to the myriad translations now available.

It is interesting to note, however, that when Christians today would ask their discipler, or kuya or ate, or even their pastor, how to pray, more often than not, they would be taught the ACTS pattern of prayer. ACTS refer to Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving and Supplication. Indeed there are many examples of prayers in the bible which a person can use as a pattern for their own praying. There is the very simple prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:10 to the very comprehensive prayer of Jesus in John 17. Although we can ask what the correct pattern of prayer is, nobody can authoritatively say that one pattern is the correct one and all the others are wrong.

For simplicity, many just choose to use the ACTS pattern. I have to admit that my praying before did not really have a pattern. I never intentionally used the Lord’s Prayer. When someone taught me to pray, it was the ACTS pattern that he used. It was during a bible study when I was still studying BS Physics here at UP Diliman.

However, let us now look at the very pattern Jesus taught his disciples. It is more of an ASCS pattern, with the first part as adoration and praise, the next part as supplication, then with contrition and ends with supplication. The later manuscripts end with adoration.

It is sometimes difficult for people who grew up in church to understand people who are reluctant to pray mainly because they do not know how to pray. Even with these simple patterns, some people still find it hard to pray on their own, especially in a gathering such as this. That person may even be quietly sitting beside you!

Or that may even be the reason they are not with us tonight. They may dread the thought of being called upon to pray in a group, even just a small group.

Many Patterns, One God

Sometimes, we get so focused on the pattern that we forget who we pray to. In our desire to pray using the right pattern, using the right words, sounding holy and prayerful, we sometimes forget the very purpose of our prayer.

Why do we pray in the first place?

Perhaps many have experienced being called upon to pray, and mechanically start praying as on obligation. It may even be to appear religious and righteous to our friends. I’ve met several people, some growing up in church, who feel their prayers would be heard more by the Lord if they use the “King James” prayers, “O Lord, thou knowest our hearts, and readeth our thoughts. Thou lovest us with an unfailing love….” and so on and so forth. If it is just a simple prayer, the Lord may not listen or may not hear it. They have an elitist view of our God. Or perhaps they have a different God than the one revealed in the bible?

Although the bible teaches us to take God seriously, not joking or clowning about when we pray, we are not taught that God only listens to a certain version of prayer. If he did then it would probably be logical to argue that God would not listen to English but rather to Hebrew. Or Aramaic, which was the probable language of Jesus. Or even Greek. What is lost to these people is that King James Version used English as it was commonly used by ordinary people when it was first translated. Its aim was for more people to have access to God, not restrict it. It sounds nice to us, especially if you are inclined to languages, but it is not the only correct way of praying.

It is important that when we pray, we have an attitude of prayer. We should recognize that we are praying to our God, who created us and the universe. We are not praying to just a person. We are praying to our all-powerful Creator. Our praying should not be for show focusing to people who may hear our prayer. Rather, it should be focused on the person we are praying to, our God.

Our God, Our Father

Having an attitude of awe and reverence for our God is so important. But it is also worth noting that this prayer, the very prayer Jesus taught, the one that he said, “this, then, is how you should pray” (Matthew 5:9a), does not begin with the words “Our God.” Even the version in Luke does not start with “God” or “Our God.” Both verses begin with “Our Father” or “Father.”

Why am I bringing this up?

Although most of you may already be praying to “Our Father” some may still be praying mostly “Our God.” Why? What is the difference?

At first, when I first encountered this, I thought there was no difference. God is God. Whether you call him God or Father makes no difference at all. Indeed I used to even pray the King James style of prayers, though no exclusively. It sounded nice to my ears. And I felt good.

One time I thought I would try addressing God in my prayer as Father or Abba (the word for father that Jesus may have used) exclusively. I did not really make a big deal out of it. After all, I did not really think there was a difference.

Much to my surprise, I felt a different kind of closeness to God. Praying with the words Father and Abba to address my Father, whom I was praying to, stirred something different in me. It created a certain closeness in my heart. I felt like I can be honest and open and tell my Abba everything in my heart. I felt like I can tell him my frustrations, my deepest desires, my hurts and pains, and also my joys and happiness. Perhaps you would feel differently when you do this. But then again, you may be like me, who did not really think there was a difference until I tried it.

Due to some force of habit, I still have to do this deliberately. My automatic or default setting is to address God as God. But when I consciously make myself address God as Father, the feeling of closeness continues.

Perhaps we have glossed over this the many years we have read our bibles, like I did before. But when we carefully look at Jesus’ words, he was careful to always address God as Father and always referred to God when talking to his disciples as “your Father.” His discipleship was not limited to the actions he did, but extended even to the choice of words he used to teach, and even to converse in ordinary communication.

Challenge

Let us follow the example of Jesus and start addressing our Father as He is to us. Let us start referring to Him as our Father, or if you want, as our “Abba.”

[Ernest Serote. Prayer Gathering. Church of the Risen Lord. 25 March 2011]

We have planned this trip for quite some time ago and all had been set a month before the scheduled trip. Then complications started to arise. It was a good thing the things that arose got solved in time for the trip.

I guess well planned activities never quite pan out the way they are planned. Instead of the relaxing vacation for everyone, some work just cannot be put off. Instead of a “no laptop policy” we ended up with two laptops needed for work that somehow hounds us.

The vehicle that Harold’s used to pick us up from the airport was a far cry from the vehicles that used to pick us up from the airport during our trips to Puerto Princesa City. My mom was quite upset. Then when we came to the hotel, there seemed to be no coordination among the staff of the hotel. We somehow got settled in but my mom was very, very upset. She wanted us to transfer to another hotel.

It was a good thing other expectations were fulfilled. We planned to eat our first dinner at Gabby’s Bistro. The first time we ate there, we had such a wonderful experience that we wanted my daughter to experience it for herself. And Gabby’s did not disappoint. We let mom, dad, and Hannah order whatever they fancied. And we all had a very wonderful dining experience. Hannah enjoyed herself as she gorged herself on all our ordered meals, and even the dessert.

Our second day, which is actually our first full day, having arrived late in the afternoon yesterday, was quite enjoyable. My mom and my daughter enjoyed themselves shopping and bargain hunting. That makes two of our expectations fulfilled satisfactorily.

If only Harold’s fulfilled our expectations, this would have been a perfect holiday for us. I do hope other activities and other places to visit would make this experience even better.

We had some best experiences. We had some worst experiences. But we look forward to the remaining days of this vacation and hopefully experience some more of the bests this vacation has in store for us. And hopefully no more of the worst.

[Ernest Serote. Dumaguete City. 21 December 2010]

One, I am a Ferrari fan. Even if I prefer Massa over Alonso, when the season was about to end, I was rooting for the only Ferrari driver still capable of winning the championship. Still, I wanted to see Felipe Massa do well, perhaps podium after podium. But it was not to be so. Still I was happy that toward the end of the season, Alonso was a strong contender for the Driver’s Championship, even leading it going into the last race. I had hoped I would see the prancing pony fly again as Alonso won the Championship.

Two, I am a Schumacher fan. I first saw Schumi driving for Ferrari and it was then the ideal combination. Winning season after season, one would have hoped it would never end. However, this season, Michael Schumacher is driving for Mercedes. It was understandable since it was Braun’s team, the man responsible for all of Schumacher’s championships. I still think of Schumacher as the ultimate Formula One driver, perhaps even re-defining the sport. He can be likened to Jordan of basketball or Pacquiao of boxing. Schumi gave me my dilemma, as I blogged at the start of the season.

Three. As I watched the season unfold, race after race, I liked Sebastian Vettel among the new drivers. He is perhaps the driver I liked who is not even connected to Ferrari. Even when a lot of people began to be fans of Lewis Hamilton, I was not one of them. I did not see him as a possible successor to Michael Schumacher. But when I saw Vettel win for Toro Rosso, I saw promise in him. However, he is not Ferrari, so somehow there was that wish that he would drive for the team from Maranello.

Now, the 2010 season is over and Sebastian Vettel is Formula One World Champion. I am happy for him. I am happy for the sport. And I really enjoyed watching the races. Perhaps Vettel driving for Ferrari along with Schumacher would be my “dream team” though I know that Red Bull would not so easily let him go and perhaps it is good for the sport that Vettel would lead Red Bull to dominate Formula One the way Schumacher did when he was at Ferrari. But technology is developed season after season and perhaps nobody would dominate the sport, but rather there would be strong contenders such as Vettel, Hamilton, Massa, Alonso, Kubica, and others. It can be likened to NBA which has so many superstars after the dominance of Michael Jordan playing for Chicago Bulls. So the trilemma can easily become a quadlemma, and so on.

I don’t mind my Formula One Dilemma. I don’t mind my Trilemma. I enjoy watching the sport, and I see myself enjoying the sport for some years to come. For now, congratulations, Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull.

[Ernest Serote. Puerto Princesa City. 15 November 2010]

At the fitting room, she was given a token and she thought she could enter the fitting booths. She was unceremoniously pushed back since someone was ahead of her. One would have expected the sales personnel to politely tell you that there was a queue, which was not really clear. But I let that pass. However, when my friend moved to accompany her, she was stopped. It was not even polite. That is it! I will never buy from such a store. Never!

I never experienced such rudeness, such stupid policy where a companion cannot see the item being fit by a buyer. And in this case, the companion is the buyer. I’ve been to Rustan’s, to Zara, to Marks and Spencer, to Topshop, even to SM Department Store, and Crossings and the sales personnel have always been gracious and helpful. But not in Forever21…rather Never21!

I am particular with stores that treat you badly, as if you can’t afford the items you want to buy or treat you as if you’re going to steal from them. I remember when I was younger. I went into an Alemar’s Bookstore to buy brushes for my budding oil painting hobby. I wanted to look at some brushes that were more pricey. The saleslady instead told me to just try the cheapest brands instead, perhaps not believing I could afford the items, since I was wearing only t-shirt and shorts. We lived near the bookstore. I swore that I would never buy from that store ever again. It eventually closed down.

Now, this store, however good the items they sell, will never get a centavo from me. I’d rather pay more and get from better stores, than be treated badly in a store that offers items I can do without. I will never buy something for me, nor for my daughter in that store. And I would not recommend it to anyone who asks me. This action may not really make dent in the bottom line of the store, but I am satisfied not patronizing such a store with such a bad service and such a stupid policy.

I think even Divisoria is better, even if it appears to be of a higher standard than that budget marketplace. It is, to date, the worst apparel store I’ve been in. So, Never21!

Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” [Matthew 17:4]

Introduction

We face a lot of stressful situations. We have so many responsibilities. Sometimes we feel like the whole world is collapsing upon us. Conversely, we may be doing nothing. We may be waking up each day, and at the end of the day, we feel like we accomplished nothing. It is a good feeling to be able to relax and just be refreshed.

And indeed, when we come to the Lord, we feel his refreshing. His mercies renew us every morning, day by day. And like Peter at the mountaintop, we sometimes wish we would just stay at that stress-free place forever. But we see from the parallel accounts in Matthew, Mark and Luke and Jesus just ignored his remark and when the transfiguration was over, they came down, without any reference to Peter’s remark.

The Lord has brought us to the mountaintop called CRL. Here we encounter Moses, through the Law, we encounter Elijah through the Prophets, and we encounter Jesus in the Gospels as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. But where do we go from here?

The Law of the Temple

“This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy. Such is the law of the temple.” [Ezekiel 43:12]

We sometimes think that it was only when the Lord gave the Great Commission that the world came to be included in the God’s plan. However, we see from this passage from the writings of Ezekiel that God already planned for the surrounding areas to be blessed as well.

The blessing of the Lord is not confined to the temple only. The temple of the Lord was seen on top of the mountain, and it was not only the temple that was holy. The mountain became holy as well. The holiness of the Lord radiates and reaches out to those outside. It was never meant to be confined within the walls of the temple.

We went to a Methodist Church in Valencia, a mountainous town beside Dumaguete City. When we arrived, the gates were shut. I was surprised. It was the first time I saw a Methodist Church whose doors and gates were not open during a Sunday morning worship service.

I opened the gate and we went in. Even if they seemed not used to having walk in visitors, Valencia being a small mountain town, we were welcomed and given good seats in front. And after the service, practically everyone approached us and shook our hands, and some even hugged us.
Even if we are sometimes tempted to maintain a small clique in the church, we are always reminded that the Lord’s eyes are set at blessing even those outside the walls of the temple. Are we looking at the same area that the Lord is looking at?

The City on a Hill

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” [Matthew 5:14-16]

Jesus emphasized to the disciples, who would form the core of the church, and thus by extension, he was saying to the church, that we are to be city on a hill. From its vantage point, one can see the surrounding countryside. And conversely, the entire countryside can observe this city that is set on top of a hill.

Whether we like it or not, we are under the scrutiny of those around us. Whatever we do, whether good or bad, the people will surely see it. We cannot hide our activities and hope that people around us never notice. No. Instead, whatever we do, we should be aware that people are observing us, whether we notice it or not.

There was a time when people did not know where CRL is. But it seems after we opened our doors to the relief operations for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy last year, we appeared on the maps of people, even those not from UP.

How have we kept our place in people’s maps? Are we visible in UP as a lamp on a stand and visible everywhere?

To the Ends of the Earth

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” [Acts 1:8]

The Lord’s call has always been outward. Even Abraham, when he was called to be the father of God’s blessed people, was blessed to be a blessing to the nations of the earth. God did not wish his blessings to end with us. We are not called to be the Dead Sea, which is so salty because it has inlets but not outlets. We are called to be rivers of the Lord’s blessings.

The Lord has blessed us, and when he blessed us, he did so abundantly. Do we lack anything?

But now, it is time for us to channel those blessings even to those around us. We come here every Friday and we are blessed as we pray. Have we shared this blessing to our neighbors? Do we want them to receive the same blessings that we receive? Do we invite them to experience the same experiences we receive whenever we come before the Lord’s altar?

We are called to be witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Witnesses are those who experienced the goodness of the Lord and tell others of these experiences.

Have we experienced God’s goodness? Are we ready to tell others what we experienced?

I’ve been to Dumaguete and experienced it before. When I told my friend about going there, she was curious about it. And when I told her of Valencia, she pictured it differently from how I described it. I could not quite communicate my experience of the place to her. It was only when she saw the place herself that she fell in love with the place. And we took a lot of pictures and now, my daughter, who we could not convince to go with us for this trip, is now excited to go.

When we experience the Lord, we have to tell others about our experience so they too would want to experience it. And only when they experience him themselves will they truly understand and appreciate our message.

Conclusion

Have we realized that we cannot remain isolated, but rather move outward and share our experiences with our friends and families, our colleagues and acquaintances? Are we ready to bring them here so they too may experience what we enjoy whenever we come before the Lord’s presence?

[Ernest Serote. Prayer Gathering. Church of the Risen Lord. 22 October 2010]

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

A few days ago, we have seen how someone who cannot see a way out found himself in a self-destructive situation. A discharged police captain saw no other recourse but to hold an entire bus of tourists hostage to get the government to listen. He thought he had no way out.

Similarly, we find ourselves in situations where we think we have no other choice, no other option.We sometimes feel helpless. We feel like we are victims of circumstances and situations beyond our control. The good news is that, no matter how hopeless our situations appear, there is a way out!

Change focus

Rick Warren rightly observed that nowhere in the bible are we commanded to resist temptation, but it is often our first instinct, believing that God is calling us to do so. In fact, the word of God calls on us to flee temptation. So how do we really flee temptation?

When Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife, what did he do? He literally took off. He fled. He ran with such haste that he even left his cloak behind. What this story illustrates is the urgency of such flight. We must flee as soon as we can.

There is this funny story of a man who was tempted to look at a beautiful woman. He felt the attraction stirring inside of him and so he says, “get thee behind me, Satan.” But he did not leave the scene and the temptation remained. So he looks back and says, “don’t push me!”When we are in a tempting situation, we should leave the situation. If we can physically leave, so much the better. But often, the temptations come to us in our minds and we would do well to think of something else instead.

A friend once used the illustration of a glass full of dirty water. How do you clean the glass? By pouring clean water until the dirty water is driven out of the glass. In a similar way, tempting thoughts are best driven out by thinking good thoughts. Paul admonished us in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Charge friends

I use the word charge here in the sense committing yourself to the care of your friends. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) We are to count it a blessing when we have our brothers and sisters helping us up when we fall.

Although the Western individualistic tendencies is strong in us, it is good to find our own Asian corporate identity. We used to value such words as, “kaya mo yan.” But of more value to us now are the words, “kaya natin yan.” We are not islands in a sea of humanity. We belong to each other. That is the essence of the church. Ecclesia means congregation or gathering. The church was designed to carry one another’s burdens.

When we cannot seek the help of a brother or sister, it is pride that holds us back. The mere fact that the temptation holds us is that we cannot overcome it alone. And when we try to do so, we only display our pride. It takes humility to admit to our brethren than we need their help. But it is this humility that is the initial step that will bring us victory and help us overcome temptations.

Changing focus and charging friends is our practical way of doing the first part of the verse, “Submit yourselves, then, to God.” The next part is to “resist the devil.”

Counter falsehood

We, Christians, are portrayed in the Bible as soldiers marching to war. In fact, this world is not considered as our camp. Instead, it is pictured as a battlefield. But we are not helpless. We have spiritual weapons for waging spiritual warfare. Paul writes in Ephesians 6:17, “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Of course, we cannot fight in the name of Christ if we are not Christians. So a necessary first step is for us to put our faith in Christ and surrender our lives to Him. Then we can wield the weapon that he has armed us with, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The word of God, the Bible, is our weapon against the devil. Look at how Jesus did it. When tempted by Satan, Jesus recited words from the scriptures. Jesus did not command Satan to leave. He just countered with words from the scriptures. Jesus only commanded demons to leave when they already possessed the person. But to resist the temptation, Jesus did not focus on Satan. Instead, he focused on the word of God.

It might be of practical value for us if we could memorize words of Scripture so that when temptations arise, we can recite verses to keep us focused on God and overcome the temptations thrown at us by the Devil.

Conclusion

Whenever we are tempted, let us submit ourselves to God. Refocus our minds so that we do not think of the thing that tempts us. And get help from friends if we cannot do it alone. And let us memorize scriptures to arm ourselves with verses to throw at the Devil when we are being tempted.

[ Ernest Serote. 100 Days of Prayer. 28 August 2010. Church of the Risen Lord. ]

When I first saw the events unfolding at the Rizal Park, my curiosity got piqued and I tried to watch and see how it would end. It was like a telenovela that one watched, and you knew that everybody else watched.

From what I gathered, a dismissed police official took a tourist bus hostage and there was an unfolding drama. I jokingly called it Speed 3, alluding to the movies of Sandra Bullock. It turns out that Hong Thai, the name of the bus, connotes speed. Although it was not moving, somehow the title made some sense.

I felt empathy for the hostage victims and wanted to see them negotiated to safety. But I could not see any negotiations. I then found out that the perpetrator was a decorated police officer who was recently dismissed from the police force. Somehow, I got to asking, why would a decorated police officer extort a measly 20,000 pesos and exchange his honor and dignity for such a small amount. It turned out he was included in the charge due to “command responsibility”. Somehow, I personally feel the case should be reviewed by the National Police Commission.

I was surprised when the “television drama” turned a new twist when the brother and three others were “invited” for questioning by the police and it ended in a struggle. I think it should not be called invitation because invitation connotes a voluntary action on the part of the invited. What I saw was definitely not voluntary. I wonder who ordered the arrest, as the police kept mum over that issue. Actually, it even appeared that the police did not know what they were doing. They were just following orders. And I thought the military character of the police is being dropped for a civilian image. What I saw on television did not help the image a bit.

I personally think the arrest, and a very public one at that, should not have been made. I refuse to call it an invitation because it clearly was not one. It was an arrest. Pure and simple. And they should have secured a warrant. Or don’t the police know they should have a warrant when arresting somebody? The police argue that the arrest should not have been televised. But covering the news was not the problem. The problem was the action itself. It should not have been made!

When I saw the commotion, I knew that the hostage-taker would panic. And rightly so, he did. Anyone who even knows a little of human psychology will expect the man in the bus to panic. He had nowhere to go, and they were after his loved ones. I predicted that he would kill all of the hostages, kill as many police who would assault him, and leave his last bullet for himself.

Somehow, my prediction was becoming true when the bus driver got free and shouted that all the hostages were dead. It was the signal the police were waiting for. They knew nothing except to kill the suspect. With the hostages alive, they could not make a move. When the hostages were all dead, they can then assault. But, unlike the television shows and movies, the police seemed not to know how to assault a bus. I heard that they practiced and successfully assaulted a bus outside the U.S. Embassy. But the practice did not have someone who fired at them. It was like watching a comedy. Or perhaps a show, “How NOT to assault a hostage taker.”

Anyways, the assault resulted in the bloody death of the decorated former police officer. And to my surprise and much joy, hostages started climbing out of the bus. The driver lied! And immediately, the question became, “who actually killed the hostages?” There is a great possibility that some of the hostages were actually killed by the assaulting S.W.A.T. and police teams. Or perhaps, all of them?

And this begs the question, if he did not heartlessly kill these people even when the natural instinct was to do so, perhaps, he was a much misunderstood police officer after all. Perhaps, all he really wanted was a fair trial.

If the President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is reading this (a very slim possibility, almost an impossibility), then he should order at least a review of the case and to clear his name, at the very least, if he was really not guilty.

I also feel that if Vice President Jejomar Binay was given the DILG post, he would have handled the case better.