Pr Berlin Guerrero

This is an extract from a sermon presented by Pastor Berlin Guerrero at St John’s Uniting Church in Essendon on October 2, 2011.

The Philippines, the country where I come from, is known to be the only Christian nation in Asia. Its leaders in government, past and present, are known to be faithful Roman Catholics – from Marcos to Corazon Aquino, Estrada to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and now Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino, Jr. But even as Christian believers themselves who “implore the aid of the Divine Providence”, and given the mandate of the people and as stewards of the national patrimony, they still act very much like the Temple authorities (who handed Jesus over to be killed).
Graft and corruption is unabated, powerful people become more powerful, rich families grow richer. So-called government development programs do not address the root causes of poverty and inequality. Powerful nations especially the United States remain to be the power behind the domestic subservient authorities which “govern” by means of state repression.

The previous administration under former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo yielded more than 1,000 victims of political killings, 206 forced disappearances, hundreds of abductions, torture and incarceration – all perpetrated by state security forces namely the military, the police and para-military forces. The victims are composed of peasants, indigenous peoples, urban poor, workers, youth and students, teachers, health workers, lawyers, patriotic leaders, and church people.
These victims are the prophets of our time who are sent to warn those in power to turn around from their wicked ways of selfishness, greed and deception and be obedient to God and God’s righteousness so that they can become instruments of God’s justice and grace. But, lo and behold, they kill and maim the prophets!

I am one among many who suffered such fate in the hands of the Philippines military. In May 27 2007, Naval intelligence security forces (NISF) abducted me, right before the eyes of my family. They hand-cuffed and blindfolded me and tortured me for one whole night under the allegation that I was a leader of the armed communist movement in our province and that I was training revolutionary guerrillas inside the seminary where I was a student of theology. All these are baseless claims.
Unsuccessful in getting a false testimony to incriminate me, they charged me with murder and revived a 20-year old inciting to sedition case. I was imprisoned for one year-three months and fifteen days. I was only released after the Philippine Court of Appeals decided to dismiss the case in my favour, declaring that the case filed against me was not prosecution but rather persecution.

What happens when those in power do not obey God’s will in their governance and pay lip-service to their Christian faith? When they commit violence against their own people? When they perpetuate social inequity and injustice thereby prolonging the oppression and poverty of the people? When they obey not God but the self-anointed gods of this world?

I believe that the Kingdom of God and all that the Kingdom stands for, including the important teachings of the law such as justice and mercy and honesty (Mat 23.23), will be taken away from them. The liberating power of the Gospel will be removed from them for they did not produce the right fruits. And instead, the Kingdom of Heaven will be given to whom God chooses as “a people who will produce the proper fruits.”
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May we continue to be discerning and obedient to God’s will in our times. And that by being obedient, we bear witness to the Good News that is Christ and to Christ’s righteousness no matter what the cost. It is only through faithfulness that we may bear fruit, so that the Kingdom of God will abide with us forever, never to be taken away from us anymore. Amen!