VPSD Speech for the Pastors’ Congress Jesus is Lord Church, Novotel Manila | Araneta City
October 26, 2022 | 10:00 AM

Assalamualaikum! Magandang araw sa inyong lahat.

STANDARD GREETINGS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF GUESTS…

Taus-puso po akong nagpapasalamat sa inyong lahat, lalo na kay Brother Eddie Villanueva, sa kanyang imbitasyon.

Isa pong karangalan ang makasama kayo sa inyong pagdiriwang ng 44th anniversary ng Jesus is Lord Church.

Matanda lang po ako ng anim na buwan sa Jesus is Lord, Brother Eddie, na inyong tinatag 44 years ago.

At alam ko na ang mga nakalipas na mga taon — na puno ng mga pagsubok, tagumpay at kung anu-anu pa mang mga karanasan natin sa buhay — ay mas nagpatatag pa sa inyong pagsasamahan, pagmamahalan sa isa’t isa, malasakit sa kapwa Pilipino at sa bansa, at pananampalataya sa Diyos.

I come with words of admiration for the 44 years you have dedicated to spreading the word of God and winning spiritual battles for our nation.

I am also here to tell you that your intercession and ministry to the families, fathers, women, professionals, youth, people from all walks of life, including those who are in jail --- are not in vain.

The Church has become a real refuge for those who have grown emotionally tired and mentally embattled. Your commitment and sacrifice to reach out, spend time, and minister to these people have truly changed lives one prayer at a time.

Personally, I find it comforting to know that the people of God are praying for the nation. In these trying times, I believe that all of us are called by God to help rebuild the nation – the land of promise that God has given us. I hope that as we pray for healing, for victory, for deliverance, we will also be blessed with the gift of unity as we journey together post-pandemic.

The church is considered the soul of the nation. The Church is the conscience barometer that provides a moral compass and has guided Filipinos in their actions, decisions, and interactions in their daily lives.

Sa panahon na tingin natin ay wala tayong kasama, wala tayong kakampi, walang nagmamahal sa atin — simbahan ang ating pinupuntahan upang magdasal.

Sa ligaya at kalungkutan, nandyan lagi ang simbahan.

Our overseas Filipino workers for example, regardless of whether they are in a Christian country or not, seek the Church and find ways to congregate to hear the word of God. When we celebrate milestones, when we struggle with life’s challenges and failures, we come to the Church for comfort and guidance.

As an integral part of shaping the mind and conscience of the community, the church has a significant role in shaping our future, particularly in shaping the minds of our youth.

Our youth are vulnerable and easily impressionable and I call upon the Church to help us guide our young Filipinos into the right path. The lures of substance abuse, violent extremism, and rebellion keep pulling away our country’s future. I believe this is where the Church can support nation-building.

Your ministries to the communities have never been more relevant than now when our youth’s mental and psychological health are held hostage by various social media influences and peer and social pressure. Combined with the recent physical isolation because of Covid-19, they confuse the mind and push our youth to lose confidence in their ability to navigate life. Without professional help and spiritual guidance, some have been driven to self-harm and harm others.

Apart from the youth, the Church bears weight in unifying the family as the basic unit of society. When parents leave town to work in big cities or abroad, it leaves a psychological harm that no amount of wealth or material things can fill.

As you come together to reinforce your vision of nation-building, rest assured that we, at the government, are your partners in advocacies and ministries for the Filipino people.

We share the same dream of creating a nation where families and people wisely manage their spiritual and civic affairs, all guided by a moral compass that is recognized by our Constitution and inherent in our lives as Filipinos.

The call to build a strong nation is an open invitation. It is for us all. After all, we speak in universal truths of kindness, compassion, love, joy, and peace for all.

May this be a common ground for all of us so that we can learn to arise, unite, regardless of faith differences, and build once again a stronger nation founded on the bedrock of Divine wisdom and faith.

Patuloy nating mahalin ang Pilipinas!

Maraming salamat po. Shukran.