By Teodoro Bacani Jr.

This is the second and concluding installment of the sayings of Jesus which should serve as guidance for Christian politicians. Even non-Christian politicians will do well to be guided by these words of wisdom.

“Woe to you,... you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing” (Mt. 23: 27-28). Many of our politicians wear masks fashioned for them by professional image-makers who manage their public image. Thus, they appear to be what they are not; they claim to be innocent of wrongdoing and full of virtues, but in reality they are full of filth inside. It is difficult to know the real person behind the masks that many of our political leaders wear. Jesus challenges them and us all to authentic living, to live according to our better selves and not only according to our better images.

“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Lk. 10: 27). These words, quoted by the scribe from the Bible, and approved by Jesus as the answer to the scribe’s own question, indicate for us all where true life is to be found. It is by loving God and our neighbor that we come to true life. Those who seek life from the accumulation of possessions or of power miss the point of living.

“Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No’” (Mt. 5: 37). “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn. 8: 32). These words of the Lord are a call to truthfulness in human dealings. Only when our relationships are based on truthfulness will we live in the freedom of God’s children and live in peace with one another. To live in the lie as many of our politicians do is to be enslaved by our own lies and to destroy peace in society.

“Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily” (Lk. 18: 6-8). “But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed, and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely, and assign him a place with hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth” (Mt. 24: 48-51). “Hindi natutulog ang Diyos” (God does not sleep), we say in Filipino. God will see to it that justice is done to his oppressed children. The reckoning will surely come for the unjust, and maybe at an unexpected time. Human rights violators and others who make a mockery of justice better pay attention to this.

“Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk. 10: 43-45). The Lord shows us all, politicians included, the real way to greatness. It is the way of self-sacrificing service to our fellow human beings. Those who truly want to lead should be willing to serve even to the point of laying down their lives for those they serve. Jesus himself is our example of this selfless service.

“A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (J. 10: 10). All political leaders must measure themselves against these words of the Lord Jesus. Do they come to steal, to slaughter and to destroy, or have they come so that the people they serve might live more abundantly?

Sadly, in our country, many politicians come to steal and destroy. A popular joke expresses the reality well. “Question: what is the difference between a common thief and a politician? Answer: A common thief steals and then runs, while a politician runs (for office) and then steals.” Do our political leaders live more abundantly at the people’s expense, or do the people live more abundantly because of their leaders’ sacrifices?

“Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy” (Mt. 25: 23). A great reward awaits those who have shown themselves resourceful and faithful servants of God in the service of his people. But punishment awaits those who are lazy and negligent (Cf. Mt. 25: 26-30).

“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me... what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.” “And these will go off to eternal punishment, and the righteous to eternal life” (Mt. 25: 40, 45-46). What counts most with Christ is the service done to the least of his brothers and sisters, the needy ones, not that which is done for the big shots or those who can return us the favor. The consequences of our service or neglect of Christ’s needy brothers and sisters is either eternal happiness or eternal punishment for us. Politicians or public servants should especially take note of this and be forewarned.

Through such sayings as these backed up by his own example, the Lord wants to bring about change in the hearts of people and our leaders, and the transformation of the whole of society.

The Philippines will become a very different and much better country if our politicians lived according to his words.