Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Conquering a Monster: Filipino Style

Filipinos as a people know how to contribute to the world.

When trouble brews, they pull together.  We saw this par excellence at the 1986 EDSA Revolution where prayer through the Holy Rosary preserved the then-budding Philippine Republic from bloodshed and civil war.

And removed a dictator from office...

..without blood being spilled they did.


In fact, it was rumored that as the Marcos soldiers aimed their guns ready to fire at the peaceful Filipino protesters, a "beautiful Woman" all of a sudden appeared to the soldiers and said, "Do not fire on my people.  I am the Queen of this land."

The ever-witty Cardinal Jaime Sin, then-Archbishop of Manila, when asked if this really was a nun that said this to the soldiers instead of the Blessed Mother, quipped, "Oh, no, it couldn't have been a nun.  Nuns aren't as beautiful as Mary!"  :)

The EDSA Revolution preceded the 1989 Fall of the Berlin Wall and the 1991 Fall of the U.S.S.R. (Communist Russia).  Protesters in the failed Tienanmen Square uprising had the fresh memory of the successful 1986 EDSA as a model.

Filipinos reflect the best of all humanity when it really counts.

Yes, the Philippines has had a beautiful romance history with the Cross.  She is chosen by Providence to herald the Cross in the Far East and beyond as, at the time of this blog, the only Christian nation in Asia.

She pulls together.

All 7,106 islands of her.



Such was the case in this David-and-Goliath-like true story in this little town.

"David" was a small group of Filipinos.

"Goliath" was the 21-foot monster you see here.

The "slingshot" was their sheer determination to risk life and limb to stop this human-eating beast.

In this photo taken Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011, Mayor Cox Elorde of Bunawan township, Agusan del Sur Province, pretends to measure a huge crocodile which was captured by residents and crocodile farm staff along a creek in Bunawan late Saturday in southern Philippines. Elorde said Monday that dozens of villagers and experts ensnared the 21-foot (6.4-meter) male crocodile along a creek in his township after a three-week hunt. It was one of the largest crocodiles to be captured alive in the Philippines in recent years. (AP Photo)

And catch it they did.

Alive.


It took many people and many failed attempts to do so.

But try and try and try they did.

And try and try.

And try.

And salamat sa Diyos they caught it.
 
 
Let us catch the monsters of our day.  What is your monster?



Let us stare down evil no matter how huge...

...and intimidating...

...and bullying...

...with prayer...

...like at EDSA.

Jesus, I trust in You!


Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.


Homework: Learn the St. Michael the Archangel Prayer.

Class dismissed.


A.M.D.G.




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