‘VIA DOLOROSA’

Tomorrow, we as a nation celebrate 49 years of independence. That got me thinking, what are we truly celebrating? Independence from whom and from what? Granted, historically as a nation we were ruled by many nations for selfish reasons and then some. So came 31 August 1957, the Union Jack came down and well, the ‘Jalur Gemilang’ went up. Fast forward 49 years and look where we are today. Are we truly free? Or have we come out of the frying pan and into the fire?

Independence could be served to us on a silver platter tied with a red ribbon, we’d still wouldn’t know what to do with it save the all-time once a year celebration! Being patriotic is reduced to wearing the ‘Jalur Gemilang’ as an attire and having our vehicles decorated all over with flags! If there is anything to be learnt from history, it should be the same spirit of which freedom was fought for. In yesteryears, a very heavy price was paid for independence, usually in blood. Don’t get me wrong, I do not condone the taking up of arms. What I am championing is found in chapter 6 of Micah, “And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” What do all the freedom fighters of the past have in common? They could no longer live in their angst. They could not turn their backs on oppression and injustice felt under the rule of imposing nations.

On a parallel thought, Christians don’t really know what to do with the victory that Jesus had won for us on the cross. We continue to live in defeat and give in to fear and intimidation under the name of living in peace and wisdom! We have no problem walking in humility and that’s good, but we ignore justice and mercy. Folks, the gospel is holistic! True, nothing can be achieved without faith and prayer but don’t forget David still confronted Goliath! He knew His God was bigger, he didn’t have to prove anything but I believe he was inspired by God and by the greatness of his God to do just what he did! James says, “show me your faith and I’ll show you my works”! The late Mother Theresa went right up to the then US President asking for every baby whom they were thinking of aborting! She didn’t worry if Big Brother was going to shoot a missile targeting Calcutta who might have given in to the pressure of Women’s Lib worldwide! The Bible says, when one part of the Body suffers, all the other parts suffer as well. So why aren’t we suffering when a believer is being persecuted????

Today, getting the best grades in the country alone will not guarantee you a place in the university a long as you’re the wrong skin colour! We have media that thrives on the sensationalism of a wedding between a divorced cradle snatcher and a family breaker! Did anyone feel for the ex-wife and kids while they ooh-ed and aah-ed at the diamond studded fanfare? There is a far greater evil that continues to eat at the fabric of society. It is more evil than Adolph Hitler’s Nazi Party and the staging of September 11 by Osama bin Laden. This evil is Apathy, it’s the ‘Silence is Golden’ rule, ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ motto. It is the shutting of your doors and windows to the cries of your abused neighbour! It is a closing an eye to the illegal shipment of timber endorsed by a politician. And I say this to my chagrin, that for the Christians, they rather obey man than God! How far we are from the 1st church in Acts!

No, we are no more independent than Iraq and the like than we care to admit. Yet we have leaders who show their rage by burning down flags of other so called colonial nations! Before we attempt at fighting for justice for other nations, let’s take a good hard look at our own backyard! After all, Jesus did say, before you remove the speck in another’s eyes, remove the log from your own!

Oh by the way, Selamat Hari Merdeka, Malaysia!