EDSA: Catalyst for Change?

I vaguely recall the events that led to the EDSA People Power Revolution. It was 1986 and I was eight years old. Honestly, I was not fully aware of what was happening during that time. I was too young to understand what went into the minds of grownups. As a child, I strongly believed that grownups should solve their own problems and leave us kids alone.

Shortly after EDSA, my mother, myself and together with my siblings went to Saudi Arabia where my father worked to spend our summer vacation there. It was my first trip spoke, dressed (and smelled) differently, where essential freedoms (freedom of speech, freedom of the press, etc.) were curtailed and where Islam is the state religion. It was there that I felt the impact of EDSA. Suddenly, our OFW's gained a lot of respect wherever they are. It was truly a glorious time for Filipinos everywhere. I personally experienced it one time when my mother asked me to buy some chocolates at the local commissary. They don't have 'sari-sari stores' in Saudi Arabia and since we live in an area where workers in a nearby oil company are housed what they have there is a commissary which is a huge grocery store and boy do they have chocolates! I walked there only to find the store vacant. An arab gentleman saw me and recognized that I was a Filipino because I was the only soul there who did not realize that it was time for noon prayers (Salatu-z-Zuhr). He warmly welcomed me inside and he even gave me a bunch of chocolates for free!

Growing up I have learned the history and a little background on what went on during EDSA. With every passing year I have always relished the hope that somehow things would change.

23 years have passed after the day when the people united in a common goal to rid the country of dictatorship and corruption and restore true democracy. Today, our country is well placed within the top 5 of the world's most corrupt governments and we really do not have a true democracy. Social injustice is still the norm and immorality is an everyday indiscriminate consumption for the masses.

It seems that we have not learned anything at all. However, let me offer you an interesting insight. I have thought about EDSA as particularly unique in that it is not really a revolution which involves drastic change by destroying the present setup and building a new one. It is also a movement that was sparked by the Catholic Church. In the frontlines you would see nuns and priests 'kapit-bisig' driving off tanks and winning the soldiers' loyalty.

I also noticed that the famous statue of the Blessed Mother that was paraded was none other than the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. This alone is really significant because Fatima is a call to prayer, repentance and total consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

I think what Our Lady is presenting to the Filipino people during that time was an opportunity not to topple the government of Ferdinand Marcos and institute social change. But Our Lady was inviting us Filipinos to a sincere repentance of our sins and to personally consecrate ourselves, our lives, our businesses, our government and indeed our whole nation to Her Most Immaculate Heart.

The lesson of EDSA is this: Spiritual renewal through sincere repentance and a firm intention to follow God's will well as a government that promotes these ideals fervently coupled with true Catholic social action is key to a strong nation and that is the only way my friend.