The bombing of the Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu killing 20 people including military personnel is an act against humanity. This is an act against God. There can be no reason whatsoever to justify the killing. On this moment, let us be calm and not point fingers as to who are behind the terrorist act. Let us wait for the result of the investigations. Let us trust the rule of law to punish the people behind it. Let us work harder for peace. But more than… that, we pray…

Let us pray intensely for peace. Worldly peace is a fake peace. It is only God who can give real peace. God’s peace is not rooted in revenge but in acceptance and love. It is only God who can heal anything that divides us. It is only God who can stop the cycle of violence.

We pray for the people who are behind the said attack that the prince of peace may touch their hearts for conversion. We pray that their hearts be opened to realize that killing will not solve anything and that respect for the dignity and rights of human person is a value that God wants everybody to treasure.

We pray for the victims. They are in the cathedral to pray…perhaps among them are not only praying for their personal concerns for also for the peace in the area. Some of them are also just doing their job to rescue and help the victims of the initial explosion and in so doing offered their lives for others. They are modern heroes. They are modern martyrs.

We include in our prayers those who are in power to do everything in accordance to the law to investigate and to bring into justice the perpetrators.

We pray for everybody that peace may start in our home…peace starts with the self.

Countless men and women offered their blood in the area and yet peace seems to be far a reality. But we must not lose hope. Tears and blood of those martyrs in Mindanao will not be wasted. They will be the foundations of real peace. Let God…

“Peace is the work of justice indirectly, in so far as justice removes the obstacles to peace; but it is the work of charity (love) directly since charity according to its very notion causes peace.” (St. Thomas Aquinas)

Bishop Benjamin De Jesus, pray for us…