THE WORD
Eccl 1,2-11 / Lk 9,7-9
Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead”; others were saying , “Elijah has appeared”; still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.” But Herod said, “John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him.
IN OTHER WORDS
A commentator declared that Filipino politicos offer three models of leadership and thus present themselves under three guises. The “populist leader” offers simplistic and short-lived solutions to highly complex legislative, administrative, fiscal and other issues. The “vigilante hero” focuses on drastic enforcement of the law and sanctions. The “problem solver” or statesman looks beyond the present for long-term and sustainable solutions.
On the other hand it is suggested that Filipino audiences are far from gullible; they regard campaigners mainly as opportunists who toy with their audiences’ sentiments, promising to meet their superficial interests without regard for consequences. This gives rise to three types of voters. One sells his vote, since that is at least some compensation he can get from the aggravation. Another votes only because the candidate seems to be the most tolerable of bad or mediocre choices. A third critically examines his options, creating scorecards prior to elections and weighting average performances so he can arrive at a more or less statistically defensible way of assessing the worth of electable leaders.
Herod the politician could never understand Jesus the Rabbi. Taking pity on the poor crowds, Jesus did respond to their immediate need for bread by multiplying what little they had in order to satisfy their hunger; but when they returned for a repeat performance he redirected them to the deeply religious and highly spiritual dimensions of his message. He showed extraordinary perspicacity and sensitivity to people who, while being alienated from the religious observances of his day, were basically good persons – Joseph of Arimathea, the Centurion, Zaccheus, and others, graciously underlining their openness of mind and heart to the truth where they found it. And when needed, he was un flinchingly straightforward with the perverse and the cunning, whose only concern was to preserve their interests and would not hold back from corrupt and evil means to pursue their goals. Jesus never treated his audiences as a politician but always as a teacher; as his audience, how are we absorbing the lessons he is imparting?
- Fr. Dionisio Miranda, SVD | President, USC, Cebu City
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
