A: Ascension Sunday (28 May 2017) - GREAT COMMISSIONING - Mt 28:16-20

I am always perplexed by the name “elevator,” which is also called “lift” among English speakers and “ascensore” in the Italian language. The word emphasizes only the upward motion. But, my question is: Isn’t it that the elevator is used in descending as well? Why is it not also called “descendor”?

Today is the Solemnity of the Ascension. By the word itself, we are already hinted on what is given value on this feast. Indeed, it is the ascent of Jesus into the heavens, and with it clings our hope that one day, we will all have our ascension too into life eternal. In our Gospel from Mt 20:16-20, we should not forget that there is another word concurrent with the Lord’s Ascension. It is the Great Commissioning. Jesus, before he departed from earth, commanded his disciples with 3 specific actions: 1) “Go and make disciples” which means “going down the mountain and down to the ordinary people,” 2) “baptize” which customarily denotes “plunging into the water” and 3) “teach” which essentially translates as “handing down the truth”. If we look closely at these actions (go/making disciples, baptize, and teach) they all signify not an upward motion, but a downward one. Hence, with Christ’s ascension, we must do our condescension to others as well.

Few days ago, Pres. Rodrigo Duterte declared Martial Law in the whole of Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines. In his marching order to the soldiers, he as commander-in-chief gave them also a Great Military Commissioning: 1) “Fight” (outright ‘shoot to kill order’ on anyone resisting), 2) “Arrest any person” (even without judicial warrant), and 3) “Search any house” (even when ‘violation of woman’ is consequential). These are of course to be done in the context of anti-terrorism, especially on those allegedly involved in it. But the primary concern is: who determines if a person is a real “threat”? How can this government be trusted with any honest military operation when the 7,000 deaths in the War on Drugs of the police are marred with extrajudicial traces of killings?

It appears that all these brazen orders of the president are legitimizing not a condescension to the real needs of the poor, but an overriding display of ascension of power over them. A pronouncement of an all-out-war is a declaration that peace cannot be arrived at in inter-ethnic dialogues. A “shoot to kill” order is indicative that there is no hope for a criminal to change. A lifting of the writ of habeas corpus is a denial of somebody’s basic right of questioning back authority. A declaration of Martial Law is a statement that love has no more place in a land; only guns and force are the ultimate solution.

It just saddened me that even with the knowledge that Martial Law has never been good during the Marcos regime, majority of the Christian Filipinos are willing to revise our history (that it is indeed very good) and are very supportive of Duterte’s unfounded justification. A good test is to ask ourselves is: Is Martial Law a real condescension to the needs of the people, or is just an excuse for a despot’s ascension to more political power and control?

I, on my part, judge that this is contrary to the Great Commissioning of Jesus that is filled with compassion and love, not with hostility and violence.

The only consolation is that there is one very clear parallel between Jesus’ words of commissioning to his disciples and Mr. Duterte’s marching order to his soldiers, it is: “Wag kayong matakot, sagot ko kayo, kasama niyo ako.” (“Do not be afraid, I am with you always,” cf. Mt 28:20).

I just pray that the military soldiers will not take the president's words literally and seriously.

- Rex Fortes, CM