Did you remember to gas up on Saturday? I supposed the oil price hike announced last week did take place and I would be sorry for those who had forgotten or failed to fill ‘er up on Saturday. It seem oil prices are rising by the week and how are we poor vehicle owners to cope? When will we be able to devise a way to change the fuel for motor vehicles to kerosene? Silly thought! Then kerosene prices would also be hiking by the week. Maybe we should think again about calesas and tricycles. For one, calesas need no fuel, You can just bring your steed to where the grass grows a-plenty.
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Those are just some of the foolish ideas that are coming to my mind these days, Never have we experienced a time when our movements and exits from our own homes were limited, not because we love solitude, but because of fear. Fear that seeing your best friends could be dangerous because who can tell whether he or she had contacted someone with the vicious COVID? No consolation is the fact that some countries are suffering more than ours, or some towns and cities have more cases than we have. As the High Priest in the temples of old used to cry to the Lord in times of crisis, “How long, Lord God, How Long?”
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Indeed, how long, until He decides to wipe out all the COVID virus that seems to have spread world-wide? For a while we rejoiced when it was announced that vaccines had been discovered, and my friends and I happily opted for the AstraZeneca when it would become available in our city. Only to learn from the news that some of those who submitted to it suffered blood clots! Who can tell us if we are immune to such reactions? Would you submit to it, unless another cure for blood clots is discovered?
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Sorry to sound so morbid, but there does seem very little to cheer us up these days. But then let us not forget that we still have a Heavenly Father who is looking down on us and must have sanctioned this plague for a purpose. So, I still believe that the best way to free ourselves from this plague is to pray and mend our ways. Remember how God even punished Adam and Eve, the first human beings He created for disobeying what would seem very simple restrictions? What about the flagrant sinners of our generations?
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At least we should be thankful we are not having problems like those Americans who are still wrangling over the cruel death of a certain black man named George Floyd who was stifled to death by a policeman who sat on his neck under a vehicle, ignoring his pleas of “I can’t breath!” Well, the cop has been sentenced and is serving a prison term, oh, but what consolation is that to the family of Floyd? It is bad enough when plain citizens commit crimes, but when it is a policemen, who should be the keeper of law and order, well, everybody believes he deserves the prison term he got for it!
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Is it true, as reported in the news that there have been 7,000 cases of COVID infection per month in the Philippines? Well, judging from reports from other countries, that is surprisingly less, but me, I believe it could be because of the prayerfulness of our people. Don’t forget the statement, attributed, I think, to Saint Augustine, that “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of”. For such thoughts and statements to inspire people, Augustine became a saint.
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But I think we are doing better as far as avoidance of the COVID is concerned because our people, especially in our city and province have been more cooperative in observing the use of masks and other protective devices. Those who were obstinate and defied the advice have found out to the grief that the tiny piece of cloth covering their noses and mouths could do a lot to protect them from the scourge that has already claimed thousands around the world.
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I would have wanted to write about the mass offered by the Holy Father for Filipinos in Rome that was shown on TV yesterday, but I would be missing my DAILY STAR deadline. In fact this is already late as it is, but editors do have a little bit of privilege, especially if you are also president of the company. May the Holy Father include us among the Filipinos on whom he bestowed his blessings yesterday!*
