The End is Not Near

TERESITA TANSECO-CRUZ*

Of this, I’m sure. I am but one of a great, untold number of those crestfallen over the Presidential Election count and its upsetting results.

Maybe, as in Elijah’s experience, I thought God might come in a thunderous, powerful answer to our prayers, sweeping up our candidate to a glorious and dramatic wind of victory.

He did not.

Suddenly, in a state of near despondency, I stare at Jesus our Savior, dead as dead can be on the Cross in seeming defeat, abandoned by his apostles save one. Did he fail in his mission?

Of course, I answer my own question that Christ’s earthly mission may have been over, but it definitely was not the end and failure was never an issue. Because he arrived resurrected before his disheartened disciples could say, “What just happened?” or recognize him on the way to Emmaus or at dinner or at the early breakfast he had waiting for them at the beach.

So I’m thinking how we campaigned, heart, spirit, resources, and all, not simply for a candidate remarkable in humility, genuineness, and capability and who had inspired and brought out the best in us. Because at the bottom line, the campaign was for ourselves, for all of us who believed that honesty and integrity in government by an authentic servant leader was finally within our reach.

It is up to us now to rise from any discouragement, to see that this is not the end, that we had just undergone some precious training in coming together for the common good and in battling falsehoods.

The next chapter in our mission is already upon us, reminding us that though our hope may have taken a beating, we still have faith and love to nurse our hope back to health.

After all, God has been walking on that road with us, having dinner and breakfast with us… through our leader Leni’s luminous message of gratefulness, sobriety, dignity, love and encouragement to stay the course – huwag bibitiw (don’t let go)...through the determined marchers heading for the COMELEC on a quest for transparency, the dedication of scores of volunteer encoders with the goal of accuracy, and our constant messages of faith and comfort to one another.

May we continue to pray for the grace to recognize God ever among us and not to miss Him at any time or anywhere.

May we, the people, who believe that truth is not negotiable in our choice of leader or governance, persevere with vigilance in the mission of pursuing true democracy for our country, in areas where we need to do it – today, next week, next month…and all the days to come. In God’s company, always.

*TERESITA wrote an earlier Road to Emmaus article entitled, SHOWING UP,  on April 18, 2018. See the category – Road to Emmaus link.