Mitos Magsaysay castigated Bishop Cruz

for Failure to practice Christ’s teachings
"BALIKTAD na ang mundo" (The world is upside down). Now it’s a lay woman who gives a "sermon" to an archbishop. Lady lawmaker, Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros Magsaysay, a staunch prowomen advocate, castigated Dagupan-Lingayen Archbishop Oscar Cruz in an interview for calling Pagcor women as GROs in a birthday party of First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo.

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Magsaysay said, "If you were the child or the mother or the husband of one of these professionals, would you have not felt bad that before the whole world somebody stopped short of calling the one you love a prostitute?"

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"Archbishop Cruz should practice what he preaches by accepting the fact that maligning other people on the basis of rumors and speculation is against the law of God and of Man."

The lady solon added that if the archbishop would only humble himself and apologize to the complainants, he would not have gone so far as to be arrested and bailed out.

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Indeed, as a spiritual leader, the archbishop should be the first to heed the Biblical teaching to bridle and "tame" one’s tongue. As St. James puts it: "The tongue is a little member, but it boasts mightily. Behold, how small a fire – how great a forest it kindles... It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison" (James 3:4-8).

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Moreover, a good Christian should learn to forgive. The archbishop constantly attacks the First Couple because of an alleged personal hurt some years back. It’s normal to get hurt but for one to get fixated or cannot let go of the hurt, allowing it to fester and affect his whole thinking and talking, that is unChristian.

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In effect, the Christian virtues of forgiveness and reconciliation become meaningless.

This reminds me of a husband who said to his wife: "Why do you keep talking about my past mistakes? I thought you had forgiven and forgotten."

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"I have, indeed, forgiven and forgotten," said the wife. "But I want to make sure you don’t forget that I have forgiven and forgotten."

By Fr. Bel R. San Luis, SVD - Manila Bulletin