04/30/2021
A call from partners in the Philippines to support the church and civil society groups against attacks by Government forces. Join Global Ministries and ecumenical partners around the world to express deep solidarity and collective prayers on May 2 for the "Ecumenical Sunday of Lament in the Philippines.
Philippine Ecumenical Peace Platform
Concept Paper For the National Ecumenical Sunday of Lament
May 2, 2021 (Orthodox Easter).
“Tao rin kami!” (We are people too!) These were reportedly the last words of Manny Asuncion of Bayan-Cavite on that fateful morning of March 7 before he was killed. Manny was one of the nine activists who were killed during the simultaneous raids in Southern Tagalog by combined police and military forces, on what is now known as Bloody Sunday.
For all peoples of faith, the words “tao rin kami” is incredibly significant for it reminds us that each person is created in the image of God. This implies that every one of us bears God’s inherent gift of human dignity, which should not be shattered nor desecrated. The right to life is the most basic of all human rights and the most sacred. This is why we commemorate the season of lent – to remember the sacrifice of Jesus who was killed, crucified but came back to life, resurrected so that we can celebrate the triumph of life over death.
It is thus very disturbing that in our day-to-day realities, there is hardly any respect for the sanctity of life. Killings have become an almost daily occurrence and the perpetrators have become fearless and merciless. Victims come from all ages and all walks of life. Aside from those who were allegedly involved in illegal drugs, the targets have expanded to priests, pastors, lawyers, local government officials, government employees, teachers, workers, farmers, indigenous people, and other human rights defenders.
It is time for churches, from different denominations, to speak up and declare God’s love for all. Let us uphold the sanctity of life and condemn the culture of violence and death that has enveloped our country.
Let us designate one Sunday for all churches to observe a National Ecumenical Sunday of Lament to collectively call to Respect and Protect God’s Gift of Life and Reject the Prevailing Culture of Violence and Death. It is also a call for PEACE. The breakdown of the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations has contributed significantly to an increase in human rights violations and the worsening climate of impunity in the country.
This National Ecumenical Day of Lament can be in a form of a prayer, a moment of silence, a homily/sermon, a ringing of church bells, a combination of these, or any other creative form. # #
