This year marks the second Christmas since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost two years have passed, and notwithstanding the protracted pandemic, humanity continues to thrive. Despite vaccine hesitancy and new variants of the coronavirus, several months after the start of the vaccine rollout, cases have dropped considerably. However, it’s still too early to say that we have already won the fight against COVID-19.
As we continue battling the pandemic, other crises like food insecurity, refugees, armed conflict, climate change, and disrespect for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, persist in the world. As authoritarian populist leaders continue to hold sway in many nations, basic human rights are blatantly disregarded, and greed for wealth and power keep elected officials from truly serving the people. On top of that, disinformation through tech platforms has become a means of controlling an unsuspecting population. A narrative is presented by nano-influencers that make lies into facts, and facts into lies. Exploiting people’s anger and hate, social media has been weaponized to serve the interests of political clans and their cronies. Thus, there is also a battle for facts, a battle for the truth.
In 1964, Martin Luther King Jr. said the following words after he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize: “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
What is this “unarmed truth”? A Methodist pastor-blogger describes it as “assertive, not aggressive. It speaks up for itself, meets challenges to itself, and challenges untruth. It attacks issues rather than persons. Unarmed truth respects individuals and their freedom. It does not manipulate or coerce. It speaks passionately and persuasively, shares its message freely but not invasively, and its ‘talk’ is consistent with the talkers’ daily ‘walk.’ Unarmed truth does not ‘sell’ or ‘market’ itself. It simply, clearly, unapologetically offers itself to ‘all who have ears to hear.’ It welcomes dialogue and listens actively to other views.”
“Armed truth, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. It is self-absorbed and tends to cast judgment upon those who dare to disagree, defending one’s beliefs at all costs, regardless of the damage and trauma it causes. Dictatorships throughout history have used armed truth to claim and consolidate their power. Even terrorists seek to achieve power through the violent propagation of their own armed truth.
The “truth” in Martin Luther King Jr.’s words have a specific meaning in the person of Jesus: “Christians believe that everything about Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection, embodies the truth about God, humanity, and our relationships with God and each other: ‘…the Word became flesh and lived among us… full of grace and truth… grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.’ (John 1:14, 17)
“Grace and truth go together. Unconditional love is one definition of grace. God loves every one of the 7.9 billion people on this planet. Every human being bears ‘the image of God’ (Genesis 1:26-27). Just as all humanity has in common 98% or so of our DNA, so we share the spiritual DNA of the Creator of all that is.
“Sadly, human history can be read as the story of the family of God fracturing and re-combining over time into families, tribes, nations, religions, and various assorted groups. Those groups offer their members and allies conditional love that’s not really love at all. We have to admit that, just like them, we also play nice when it suits us. But, because of personal interests, we impose our ‘armed truth’ on others to the detriment of our relationship with them. Yet every so often, one of us, a few of us, or a whole host of us, rise up to say, ‘NO! We can live differently.’ ”
In this issue, we are featuring articles that bear witness to these voices of ‘unarmed’ truth and unconditional love. One is an article on investigative journalist Maria Ressa, the first Filipina individual Nobel laureate for Peace, and her continuing battle for truth and media freedom. Another, written by Italian gynecologist Dr. Antonia Testa, recounts her experiences and those of several doctors and health workers, who went beyond the call of duty to save lives at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. In addition, Fr. Amado Picardal’s article “A Synodal Church: An Ecclesiological Perspective” highlights the Second Vatican Council’s vision of a renewed Church, the Church as Communion, where the faithful are listened to and taken into account because they are part of a community that walks together, that journeys together.
Indeed, shining examples of “bayanihan” (the Filipino spirit of community service and cooperation) have shown us that “life and love have the last word.” This year, when most of our people lost their livelihood due to the pandemic, community pantries sprang up like mushrooms all over the country. Beyond suffering and death, we saw new life; beyond selfishness and indifference, a pure and true love came through. True enough, with love, life is generated. Not just one life, but many lives giving life to others in turn. We can give concrete witness to this new hope now and wherever we are. This has always been and continues to be the essence and message of the Christmas season: Christ was born, Love was made flesh, so that we may learn to care for others again, become a family and, in so doing, experience God’s life among us.
Inspired by men and women who continue to struggle for truth and a better life, we can be assured that, despite the world’s afflictions, love and truth will always save the day! May this Christmas be a blessed and joyful one for you and your loved ones!
