Too many doubting Thomases, Peters and Judases

The greatest misfortune that can befall our people in a time of crisis, like this we are currently facing, is when people lose their faith, their hope, and even their charity. There is a pandemic that is more fatal than this brought about by COVID-19. This is the crisis of losing faith, losing hope, and losing one's human capacity for compassion. In today's gospel of St. John, 20:19-31, we are told of the episode of the doubting Thomas.

Today, too many of our people have lost faith in our institutions, in our government, in our political, economic, social, and even our Church leaders. Our leaders are nowhere to be found while the people are suffering from hunger, fear, and a sense of despair and hopelessness. The political leaders could not be found, they must be hiding away in their mansions, vacation homes, and in some resorts with their wives, or girlfriends or both, or even both girlfriends and boyfriends. The traditional politicians have money, they cannot feel the effects of the pandemic. Even if they do not attend sessions, they receive their millions in salaries, benefits, and pork barrels. The people have lost faith in the traders who make a killing by overpricing their products, while the people are mired in poverty and want. These businessmen are killing the masses with high prices and are utterly impervious of the sufferings and pains of the poor.

The corrupt public officials never cease to rob the coffers of public funds. The big taipans, moguls, and tycoons never stop amassing wealth while millions have nothing to eat. There are many religious leaders who continue to collect contributions from their congregations of faithful even when they are aware that the poor have lost their jobs. Hundreds of thousands of our workers have lost their means of livelihood. Their employees have declared bankruptcy. Millions of bank loans have remained unpaid, mortgages are being foreclosed, many of our people are being ejected from their homes. And yet, the trapos act like Peter, they promise too much, and fail to deliver on their promises. Peter promised never to abandon Jesus and to defend his master until the very end. And yet he denied the Lord, not once, not twice, but three times. Many of our traditional politicians are denying the very painful and shocking realities confronting the poor.

The trapos have always been the worst kind of Judas in our society. They are now looking at the elections of 2022, and this is about a year from now. They will prepare sacks and sacks of money to buy the votes, bribe the election officials and use goons, gold, and guns to hold on to the thrones of powers. They do not have to prepare a serious platform and program of governance. These trapos do not have the faintest respect for the dignity and honor of the voters. They look at the people as commodities. They can buy the people and assure reelection by rampant vote-buying and influence-peddling. These trapos are worse than the rebels and the ideologues who are putting their lives on the line in the name of their principles and their causes, with valor and dignity. The trapos are the modern scribes and Pharisees and they are the most self-righteous pretenders and fake men and women with hardly any principle or values.

Of course, there are exceptions, but even the exceptions are already weakening. The few good men and women are gradually being eaten by the system of corruption. We can hardly find a “breath of fresh air inside this catacomb of stench and decay.” The people are sick and tired and are growing increasingly wary of the next elections. There is no one to trust. The brilliant are corrupt. The honest are incompetent. No one is worthy, all are blemished. The people have no one to look up to as the truly good and honest man. The voters are all doubting Thomases and the politicians are Peters and Judases.