Divine intervention

Uriel C. Quilinguing.

TWO Saturdays ago, Malacañan Palace declared this month’s last week, March 23 to 29, through Proclamation No. 934, as National Week of Prayer due to 2019 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) epidemic. Through this, President Rodrigo Duterte asked all Filipinos to pray to the Almighty for the recovery of patients, strength for frontline workers, and protection of all Filipinos.

Duterte’s invitation for prayer may have caught many—for those who know about it–by surprise because he has consistently been critical of the Roman Catholic church, particularly the men in robes, who devout Catholics respect for living a life of prayer. Perhaps, they can only imagine one image, the President kneeling alone inside a church that came out viral during the campaign period.

Were it not for self-imposed quarantine, there might be photographs showing the President leading  or attending moments of prayer in the presence of cabinet members in the palace.

 It appears the call to prayer may have fallen into deaf ears. Perhaps because most Filipinos have been overwhelmed by fear of the contagion, preoccupied with how to make both ends meet, and immobilized by travel restrictions due to community quarantine in Metro Manila and elsewhere in the country.

In Cagayan de Oro, there is one office at City Hall that held group prayer sessions and regular morning prayer participated in by grocery workers of Gaisano Metro.

Nationwide, tt could be that only the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), which is headed by Davao archbishop Romulo Valles, took cognizance of the declaration, describing it as a “manifestation of the Filipinos’ deep faith in God in the midst of crisis.”     

Valles then urged all priests in various dioceses nationwide to offer prayers for the health professionals and medical workers directly involved in containing the spread and extending medical care and treatment to the presumptive and Covid-19 positive patients. And this, the CBCP president said, could be done in their masses for the fifth Sunday of Lent, March 29.

In the midst of crisis, the more that believers should pray as one and implore divine mercy, according to Bukidnon bishop Jose Cabantan, a CBCP member.

“Magpasalamat kita nga ang atong pangagamhanan miila nga aduna pay mas labaw pang gamhanan natong tanan (We should be thankful that the government administration recognizes that there is one who is most powerful),” said Cabantan, and pointed out that whatever power one possesses, he must realize it comes from God, who is the source of life.

“Angay lamang nga kitang tanan mag-bow down niining panahon sa “lockdown,” mapaubsanong mangalyupo sa mahigugmaon ug maloloy-on ta nga Amahan sa Kahitas-an, pagpakgang sa pagkaylap niining virus nga hulga sa atong kinabuhi (It is but fitting for all of us to bow down at this time of lockdown, humbly imploring from a loving and merciful Father in Heaven to protect us from the spread of a virus that threatens our lives),” said the Bukidnon prelate.

One who is still constant prayer will likely find themselves becoming more concerned of others, start to accept one’s mistakes, and even more forgiving, according to a survey study that Columbia University conducted.        

Meanwhile, a bishop of the Philippine Independent Church (Iglesia Filipina Independiente), doubts the the President’s intention in calling for prayer.

 “I want to believe that the President’s proclamation is sincere and not only for purposes of PR, papogi, points,” said Pagadian IFI bishop Antonio Ablon even as he described the issuance “rather very late” and is no longer needed since such has been included in their daily intercessions since February  this year.

 Instead, the President must instead prioritize and spend his billions of discretionary funds, calamity funds and other funds in his dispensation to launch a free massive testing, said Ablon and MediaKonek agrees with him.

Before the president’s proclamation, Oratio Imperata, an obligatory prayer, has been recited every after the conclusion of public masses since January this year.

Long before that, many have been into moments of personal prayer especially for those who believe that prayer could relieve them from stress, gives them hope, strengthen their mindset, and keep a positive outlook of life—always looking forward for a better tomorrow. These could among the silver linings of being in isolation for two weeks.  

After a week, which proclamation covers, all those who believe in the Higher Being must go on, find time to pray regularly.

There’s nothing wrong if the daily update on Covid-19 inter-agency response at City Hall and the regional Covid-19 task force’s once-in-awhile press conference would start with a minute of prayer.

Who, among us, do not need divine intervention? For now, science alone cannot totally exterminate a dreadful and deadly corona virus.

(Uriel C. Quilinguing is a former president of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club who had been editor in chief of Cagayan de Oro-based newspapers, including this paper. For reactions, email them to uriel.quilinguing@yahoo.com.)