Misfortune and spirituality

Batas Mauricio .

ONCE in a while, when I am not doing anything important and I am simply whiling my time away (especially when I am waiting for my court hearings to start, or waiting for my plane to take off for some local or international destination), I derive amusement from closely observing things that are happening around me, convinced as I am that many of what I see depict the many colorful aspects of Filipino lives.

Take for example the conversation I personally overheard and witnessed between a lady security guard and an old man on April 13, 2018. As they finished their short exchange, the lady guard told the old man “be careful” (or, perhaps, “take care”) — a statement that is often uttered by many Filipinos, from Jolo, Sulu to Aparri, Cagayan, to almost everyone they come in contact with.

This has become highly noticeable to me, on account of a question that keeps popping up in my mind every time I hear one person say to another “be careful” or “take care”. The question is, can anyone by himself or herself really do something to “be careful” or to “take care” of themselves or of their loved ones? Does any person have the power to prevent the occurrence of events that have been slated to happen in his life on account of God’s will?

If we think about this more seriously, it should not be difficult to understand that man does not have the capability to stop events which have been mandated by God to happen in his life, pursuant to His will. It is said that anything that God willed to happen will happen, and there is no one or anything who or which can stop that will. Because of this, there is really nothing we can do but accept things as they happen.

But aside from simply accepting the events that are happening in our lives, it would do us well to thank God all the time for these events, even if at times we are of the perception that whatever is happening to us is not good for us. The truth is that, God’s thoughts are much higher than man’s thoughts, and His ways are far superior than man’s ways.

Thus, on many occasions, those which we consider to be prejudicial or injurious to us or our loved ones would, at the proper time, become “blessings in disguise”. Those which we believe to be sufferings or grave problems would, at the appointed period, turn out to be God’s way of preparing us for something much more beneficial or great for us.

My own personal affirmation of the veracity of what I am writing about here can be taken from what happened to me in the not-so-distant past. Because of my efforts to help a family in 2004, I got sued for 70 criminal cases for libel, even causing my three-year suspension as a lawyer. At that time, I felt this was the bitterest event in my life, and in the life of my family. That notwithstanding, I found myself crying out to God, asking Him what He truly wanted for me.

After 14 years, I was allowed to see that the cases against me, and my suspension as a lawyer as well, were all a necessary prelude to what I was being asked to do. For not only was a mutually acceptable resolution of all these cases arrived at, which gave rise to their dismissal but, more importantly, this episode in my life allowed the establishment of a Christian Church, the main objectives of which are preaching and saving souls through Jesus.

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Spirituality must be taught. More than the special training approximating the one that members of the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police (PNP) underwent which incoming PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde is proposing for those wishing to become policemen under his tenure, I am suggesting, with due respect, that those being recruited to become PNP members must also be trained on holiness, morality, and spiritually, whatever their religious affiliations maybe.

Although it is greatly desirable if incoming police personnel are rigorously trained on various methods of self-defense, offense strategies, and other aspects of police work, I submit that there would be a much greater advantage in favor of our people if policemen are trained to discharge their duties and responsibilities with some degree of fear and love of God, distaste for wrongful economic gain, and with love and respect for other people.

Many may say that my proposal towards producing godly policemen may produce effeminate and “soft” PNP elements, giving rise to the danger of criminal elements taking advantage of them. But this does not take into consideration the fact that truly godly policemen would be more loyal to God and His commands, and would be disposed to serve more responsibly the citizenry under their respective jurisdictions. They would even be harder to entice by offers from crime, gambling, and drug syndicates.

I apologize if others will disagree with what I am saying here (as I know many will) but I am certain that our people will trust more easily policemen who will display true spirituality by their fear and love of God, by their observing a higher standard of morality when they deal with their fellow policemen, or with their superiors, or with other government workers, and with the public that they are sworn to serve.

If a policeman is vested with fear and love of God (whatever he may call God to be, or whatever perceptions of God he may have), I am convinced that such a policeman would not, under any circumstance, accept even just a centavo from any gambling lord, or from any drug lord, or from other crime syndicates (like gunrunning or kidnap-for ransom syndicates).

It would also be a certainty that this kind of a godly policeman would not readily obey orders of his superiors that are clearly out of line, even if the orders are from officers of much greater ranks. He would also refuse to be tempted by the so-called pleasures of the flesh so that he would avoid collecting wives, avoiding even other vices that would dishonor his uniform, his badge, and his gun. If a policeman truly loves God, he would never do anything that contravenes God’s commands.

The problem is, at this point, we can no longer deny that many of those who become policemen lack fear and love of God. This is why we are witnesses to their being rude, abusive, rebellious, corrupt, and resorting to stealing and other criminal acts, on account of their desire to rake in money and more money.

Did not the whole world see, just last month, some cadets of a popular police academy in our country who suddenly ganged up and mauled their fellow cadets who had just graduated? When the cadets-agggressors were asked why, they claimed they were merely trying to even up with the graduating cadets because the graduates caused many hardship for them.

If these kids are of this kind of a mentality while they are still trying to study to become policemen at some future time, what would they be capable of thinking, planning, or doing, after they are allowed to graduate and become police officers? Clearly, the current police curriculum in this school is a big failure when it comes to discipline, morality, and spirituality. It is clear that the school and its administrators failed big time in teaching their cadets with fear and love of God, so that these cadets are now sporting devilish minds and actions. Gen. Albayalde, there is still a way to remedy this. If you wish, you can call me.

E-mail: batasmauricio@yahoo.com