Homily at the Supreme Court

I am here not because I am pro-Supreme Court. In fact I have my own deep misgivings towards the Supreme Court, such as the flip-flopping in the FASAP case, the non-action in the Dusit case, and the long wait on coco-levy case.

So I’m here not because I am ok with the Supreme Court.
I am here as a bishop because as a shepherd I have to serve all, to pray with and to pray for those who request my services. And I am requested to offer this mass here.

I am here as a Filipino. I am very concerned that we should have good governance in the country. Part of good governance in a democratic system is to have proper check and balance in the different branches of government. The independence of each branch is to be safeguarded. It is for this intention that we pray together. It is very unfortunate that the independence of the lower house is no longer there because of the pork barrel, not only in this administration but also in the last. We pray in this mass that the senate will be more independent. May this impeachment be not just a political exercise determined by political alliances but an exercise of searching for the truth, for what is right and just. We all owe this to our people. We pray too for the judiciary branch, not so much that it may win but that it may not be intimidated, but be courageous to fight for justice and its independence.

In our first reading we heard of Saul being rejected as king of Israel because he was not obedient to the Lord. He went around the will of God, even giving ritual as the reason. There is also danger in our government to go around what is right by using the technicalities of the law, and now, by succumbing to public pressure and media sensationalism.

Our gospel reading is a call to complete renewal, hindi patagpi-tagping solusyon. New wine needs new wineskins. This is precisely what we need. Our concern should not only to overcome this crisis or to win over this impeachment case. We should be concerned about a complete revamp of our ways. Yamang nasimulan na ang hangaring magbago, talagang buohin na natin. Let us all – in the legislative, in the executive and in the judiciary, be governed by conscience, by what is right and just for the good of our people, and not by technicalities of the law, by political alliances, by media pressure, and much, much less by the lure of money and power! May God help us all!

Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo
Jan 16, 2012