Always

Details: Category: Teachings & Articles; Published: Saturday, 30 March 2019 14:17; Hits: 1836

Always

by Augusto A. Kho

LSCA – 24^th Commencement & Closing Exercises
Cozy Place, Bgy. Rizal, Rosales, Pangasinan

March 29, 2019 (Friday); 8:00 A.M.

Updated March 30, 2019 (Saturday); 6:;32 P.M.

How does it feel when someone you dearly loved turned his back and leave you?

Would you like that someone you love become unfaithful to you?

Will you compromise pity for love?

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BIOMETRICS

Last Wednesday, March 27, Nelids and I were in Canadian Embassy in Makati City for biometrics. In a coffee shop we met an old lady who was being accompanied by his single son age 43. They too were being scheduled for biometrics for their planned trip to Canada. I offered them to join us since all the seats and tables were pretty much fully occupied.

This 81-year old lady, a widower hailed from Bicol. When she’s still young she would see this man in their neighborhood who was then 10 years her senior. She later worked in Manila and little did she did know that her mom and the neighborhood kid’s mom had already pre-arranged their marriage. She would rather settle with a man she knew than a stranger who might just take him for granted and that scared her very much. Her husband was into mining corporation then and he was in his early 50”s when he passed away. I asked her, “You never remarried.” And she said, “No! I just devoted my time raising for my 3 children.” So she never remarried anymore that speaks of her loyalty to her departed soulmate. She have two sons and the youngest is her daughter who is now a Canadian resident.

“Is he married?” referring to her 43 year -old son who accompanied him. She once said to hm earlier, “You’re still young, why not find a girl for you and settled down?” Her son said, “No! Still love her!” And he was referring to his childhood sweetheart for 15 years who died due to heart disease. From that time on, he did bother to find another one to replace his lost love. And that speaks of loyalty, a strong sense of devotion or commitment. This bachelor got his Masters in Child Development in University of the Philippine, Diliman who is now presently working “special children” in a private school somewhere in Pasig City..

While her mom remained faithful to her deceased husband, he too, the son remained faithful to her departed sweetheart. Should I make a love story out from their lives I would give strong emphasis to their loyalty to their beloved ones and I would entitle it as “Always.”

What is always?

Right there and there while I was about to award Loyalty Award to some LSCA students this strong thought etched across my soul in Tagalog that goes like this, “Ang tunay na minamahal, binabalikan at di iniiwanan.”

Jesus Christ said that once, “always…”

LOYALTY AWARD

Today, we will be awarding Loyalty Awards to the students who have been with the school since they were still in their kindergarten years. Unfortunately, the word “loyalty” today is is very much contested words by the country’s two most powerful political camps – Liberal Party and President Duterte’s political camps.

The issue here is not what camp is right or wrong but what “loyalty” truly means and from where this loyalty is derived from? Is it loyalty a virtue needed today? Be at home, in marriage, relationships, faith in God, in governance and leadership, and so forth?

Loyalty in the public service

Even the Philippine Constitution of 1986, a public official and employee must possess such a godly virtue.

Article XI, under the Accountability of Public Official and Employees also known as Republic Act 6713, Article 1 says, “This Act shall be known as the "Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees."

Section 2. Declaration of Policies. – “It is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public service. Public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence, and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal interest.”

Whether loyalty or not is required or mandatory in the public service, the answer is a resounding “YES!” DO NOT VOTE to any elect or re-elect candidates who is not loyal.

Any lawyer or public servant who question whether such virtue is needed for governance simply means “moot and academic.”

Loyalty defined

Loyalty is being defined as “the quality or state of being loyal; a loyal feeling: a feeling of strong support for someone or something.” Synonyms of loyalty are: “allegiance, commitment, constancy, faith, dedication, devotedness, devotion, faithfulness, fidelity and steadfastness,” (Webster).

What is always as said earlier?

Right there and there while I was about to award Loyalty Award with LSCA students this strong thought etched across my soul, in Tagalog it goes like this, “Ang tunay na minamahal, binabalikan at di iniiwanan.”

Jesus Christ said that once, “always…”

Loyalty in Biblical Sense

A “divided loyalty” is mentioned in the Scriptures as well as “loyalty is divided between God and the world,” (James 1:6/ NLT). Undivided loyalty in KJV is being interpreted as “wavering” in Greek diakrino meaning “undecided” or “hesitant.” In Tagalog, urong-sulong ( na walang patutunguhan).

KJV reads, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

It is also branded as “double-minded” in KJV derived from the Greek word “dipsuchos” meaning “two-spirited” or changing with two opinions or purpose (double-kara or balimbinbg). James 1:8 says, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways,”( James 1:8/ KJV)

The word “loyalty” is also mentioned in the Old Testament time in Judges 8:35. Loyalty to friends can be sworn in the name of God according to 1 Samuel 20:8, 42.

Unfaithful one

Will you love a person who pity you or love you?

How does it feel when someone you dearly loved turned his back and leave you? Would you ever like that someone you love become unfaithful to you?

Will you compromise pity for love?

In the Book of Proverbs 3:3 it says, “Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.” Loyalty in KJV is interpreted as “mercy” in Hebrew “chesed” as “beauty, piety, kindness, pity, good deed, favor.”

It is very like as the word clearly define it that a person who does not have pity in his heart is basically unfaithful, unloving and unkind. Loyalty or devotion to the person you love must shown kindness and pity.

Apostle Paul mentioned that in 1 Corinthians 13:4/ NIV, “Love is patient, love is kind.” The unfaithful one or he who lacks loyalty is very much impatient and unkind to the feelings of others. He will tear your heart apart and leave you behind to be broken into pieces.

The unfaithful, harsh and without pity is very opposite of loyalty.

And in Proverbs 19;22, “Loyalty makes a person attractive. It is better to be poor than dishonest.” In other words, when you are no longer loyal, dishonesty begins until it breeds a cobweb of lies and deception. A disloyal people could hardly be true to himself and to others. He can never be trusted.

The word “loyalty”

The word “loyalty” is both Constitutional and Biblical. It is a value-system derived from the Almighty God. Even Christ, His Son has proven Himself obedience to the Father even at the cross.

LSCA IS LOYAL

First, our church-school, LSCA is loyal to God

Second, LSCA is loyal to the Divine Call. If our school is no longer God-oriented, Christ-oriented, Bible-focused then I would rather close shop.

Third, we are loyal to you. It breaks my heart. In every Graduation Ceremony, I always have this mixed-emotion - the feeling of happiness for students who completely completed their academic requirements yet bearing also the feeling of loneliness that truly breaks my heart? Why such ambivalent feeling?

How does it feel when someone you dearly loved turn his back and leave you behind?

Always

How does it feel when someone you dearly loved turn his back and leave you behind?

Well, my father left me when I was two years old. Pain was there for a time. While the Lord healed me of the painful past, I could still remember the pain and the hurt very well. What if some other time in the future, someone I love will turn his back on me, my wife probably? Or my son?

I am always here when you needed me. Me and school staff are always when you needed us.

We can simply let you go but we can simply turn our back to where God called us in the service of bringing His Word to the field of academe.

People come and people go. And the same goes with our students. Madalas kami ang iniiwanan (dito sa eswelahan), kami naman nandito lang at di nang iiwan. Lagi lang naman kaming narito (Students come and students go, while we always remain here).

We will remain loyal to God and to the call. And I don’t know whether the products of this school will come again to visit us and how would their lives go? Will them come back to us bearing success in their lives yet still with Christ in their hearts?

Matthew 28:20, Jesus said to His disciples, “I am with you alway …”

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Always encompasses space, time and events. Always refers to the rising of the sun till the setting down of the sun, a never-ending cycle of time, referring to the 24-hours a day or 365 days a year. And this happen year by year which means “forever” in Greek word “hemera.”

Loyalty is a divine virtue, a very character of God. The Scriptures said, “When we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” The Son possesses an undying love and devotion to His Father. In John 5:18/NIV, Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing.”

And Jesus Christ looking on us as His beloved Bride, who will not ever turn his back from us but He would be coming back for us, He is sort of saying these words to me, “Pag minamahal, binabalikan at di iniiwanan” and thus He said, “I will come again,” (John 14:3).

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NOTES:

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Biometrics

Biometrics is the measurement and analysis of unique physical and behavior characteristics ( finger -print or voice patterns) to verify one’s personal identity (Webster).

And how will you know that he or she is the one who is meant for you? What proof of love ca truly gauge the loyalty or devotion of that person to the person being loved?

Filipino academics lament death of honesty, sincerity among officials

Janvic Mateo (The Philippine Star) - March 21, 2019 - 12:00am

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Amid discussions on whether or not honesty should be an election issue, the Akademyang Filipino said core values such as honesty and integrity form part of the foundations of strong institutions and sovereign nations.- Akademyang Filipino Facebook Photo

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino academics are calling for the revival of core values among those who hold positions of power, saying the death of honesty and sincerity is at the root of the country’s problems.

“At the root of all our country’s problems, our civic decay, and poverty of spirit is the death of honesty and sincerity in the Filipino,” the group said.

Ex-Ombudsman: Constitution requires honesty in public officers

Kristine Joy Patag (philstar.com) - March 21, 2019 - 3:33pm

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Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales gestures during a press conference at her office in Quezon City yesterday, the eve of her retirement. - The STAR/Boy Santos

MANILA, Philippines — Former chief graftbuster Conchita Carpio Morales on Thursday stressed the significance of honesty in public officers as the senatorial campaign continues.

In a statement, the former Ombudsman, now head of Akademyang Filipino, said: “If we do not exact or demand honesty in our candidates, we might end up voting for fake public servants who are dishonest and will betray the public trust for personal gain.”

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