WHAT is Pharisaical legalism? At bottom, it’s the understanding of law that is based only on our human ways, ignoring the ultimate basis of law who is God as revealed fully in Christ. As such, it tends to be rigid, to be quick to judge and to claim it has the last word in any issue or question.

We are reminded of this danger in that episode where Christ was confronted by some Pharisees because his disciples were picking heads of grain while passing through a field on a sabbath. (cfr. Mk 2,23-28) Christ had to correct them about how the sabbath law should be taken.

We certainly should always be guided by laws. We should just see to it that our human laws are properly based and oriented. And given our limitations, not to mention our errors and sins, our human laws should also give due allowance for this unavoidable fact of life.

Truth is our laws should reflect the law and order as designed by God the Creator for the whole world and for man, specifically. They should respect and in fact reinforce what God has given as the law of nature and the moral law that governs our human acts.

But, alas, we wonder whether these things about natural law and moral law are given due consideration these days. What we can notice is a steady drift toward what is called as legal positivism.

Legal positivism is when our legal and juridical systems are simply based on perceptual experiences and people’s consensus while systematically shutting out any input from faith and divine revelation that tells us that God is in fact the very foundation, inspiration and perfection of our human laws.

In other words, without any reference to God’s law, our human law cannot help but be out on a limb. For all the brilliance, wisdom and success a Godless human law can have and accomplish, it can only go so far. It cannot go the distance required by our human dignity. Sooner or later, it will fail and fall into forms of injustice, many of them so subtle that injustice can be committed under cover of our human law.

A clear example of this latter case is the law on abortion. It is a lot worse than the so-called extrajudicial killing. Abortion is clear murder of the most defenceless members of our human society—the infant while inside the mother’s womb.

Of course, rationalizations can come aplenty. It’s not yet a baby, they say. It’s just a bundle of tissues. It does not have life on its own. But no one can contest the fact that that so-called clump of tissues has the DNA of the parents, and that it cannot but be a living baby if it is allowed to develop to its full course and no problems and complications come along the way.

The Bible has many passages that the unborn is already a child, a person, chosen by God, etc. The Book of Jeremiah, for example, says: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (1,5)

And to be more blunt about it, precisely Christ before he was born was already the Son of God who became man to redeem us! Could Mary and Joseph have thought of aborting the unborn Christ because they thought he was just a bunch of tissues while still in the womb?

Sunday morning on the 15th of January was a day like no other.

The people are upbeat to the chances of the Miss Philippines competing in the Miss Universe happening at New Orleans.

Celeste Cortesi, a Filipina -Italian Model was trending in the internet.

Experts, predicted her reign from the favorability of analytics.

From Darna – inspired national custume and a vibrant, full of life smile to the sure gait and poise.

As the pageant progressed snd the installments announcement if which she never made the cut, the mood prevailing in this hemisphere , proved to be humid ,hot and angry.
Ms Philippines was a big , big persona here and her inability to get to the round of 16 was anticipate.

Twitter Trends # Celeste but her numbers were down and thus, not part of the last country.
Last country to barge into the 16.

We were sad and you can hear the anguish cries of the neighborhood homes watching the pageant.

Faced with that reality, we switch off the gadgets and soldier on with life, sans the glorious Ms Universe title, we learn to expect.

But there are Morals and take aways.

We were witness to the adjustments employed by the qualifiers.

India and USA were family oriented and creating community involved lives.

The fashion designer in the would be Ms Universe, Miss USA should a community based tailoring and fashion scene.

The Social Workers were abundant in the Top 16 with 3 contestants.

The pageant had shown that socially relevant back story and committed self-less candidates are sure winners.

In the end, I saw the best trait of Ms Universe Pageants its not just about beauty, its about Purpose.

And that must be the REBOUND that I was looking for, from the vanity and the glam, we saw the Social Relevance of this Pageant Frenzy.

I will watch it again next year and may the best lady win, not just the most beautiful, but the most relevant beauty wins.

A rosier report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) projected the higher palay production for the 3rd Quarter of 2022. Accordingly, the production of unhusked rice (palay), grew by 2.2 percent, not taking into account the destruction by Super typhoon Karding’s impact since its landfall on September 25th that castigated Luzon’s 6 agricultural regions. Worst hit was Central Luzon where the country’s rice granary Nueva Ecija is located.

The PSA data showed that palay production in July to September based on standing crop as of August 1 pointed the increase to 3.83 million metric tons, a bit higher than the 3.75 million MT in the same period in 2021.

Harvest from rice field area is forecast to increase by 1.7percent from 912,660 hectares to 928,200 hectares, and yield on per hectare up by 0.5 percent from 4.11 MT to 4.13 MT.

However, the harvested area based on standing crop, decreased by 2.3 percent to 790,470 hectares from 809,270 hectares, but yield per hectare increased by 6 percent from 2.83 MT to 3 MT. Also, the “PSA reported that about 276,516 hectares or 41.6 percent of the updated standing crop had been harvested. And, that 21`3,760 hectares, or 27 percent of the 790,470 hectares of the planting intentions have been realized. The production stood at 658,480 MT.”

MY COMMENT:
The PSA data on a 2.2 percent increase in unhusked rice or palay recorded in the 3rd quarter of the current, while a positive indicator to the PBBM’s aspiration to increase rice production, is still way below to what the country needs for its ballooning population. The Filipinos relatively high rice level consumption is driven by its belief that rice provides the needed energy to meet the demands of their daily work. ooo000ooo
NEXT TOPIC : “Batangas LGU fights ASF assisted by DOST”
SHARE S & T THOUGHTS through E-mail: drpacjr@yahoo.com.

Marital problems arising from infidelity are too common since time immemorial. It’s getting more rampant nowadays with the advancements in communication technology. Add to that the frequent mobility of people in society due to the multifarious activities that people engage in, given the now-complicated lifeways.

In most cases, this problem arises because a spouse intentionally decides to look for someone else. In short, he or she cheats on his/her partner at will. This might be very common among men although some women likewise do the same for certain reasons.

These reasons, on the part of women, are usually principle-based; but on the part of men, these are usually lust-based. Common knowledge can attest to this.

For instance, if a boyfriend or husband is fond of going out with his drinking buddies, with numerous vices to attend to in such a way that he no longer has time for his girlfriend or wife, then this could be a reason for the latter to look for someone else, especially if her partner never changed despite her repeated pleas. If she finds someone else who is more responsible, caring, thoughtful, and reliable, then she might go for this ‘lucky’ guy, though he might not be that good-looking.

Again, most of the reasons women opt for other men are based on principles that are closely associated with her ideas about what an ideal lover should be. If her man, aside from having many vices, is moreover lazy and very irresponsible, plus a wife-beater when drunk, then all the more that a woman’s love will be drawn to another. Given the man of her dreams, she would not hesitate to abandon her old partner.

But for most men who cheat on their ladies, the reason is usually lust-related. Perhaps it only confirms the psychological fact that men are sexually stimulated by sight. When he sees a lady with attractive and gorgeous looks, that’s enough for him to immediately forget his partner. His attention would be easily drawn to her, especially if she is, moreover, that seductive. Just a little flirtation from her could quickly turn him on, and next to that, he will be chasing her like a mad dog.

At times, both spouses might be that faithful to each other, but there comes a time when temptations come in. A woman for instance may be faithful to her man, but given an exceptionally handsome man to temp her, she would likely give in. She would end up weak enough to resist, especially if the advances are gradual and extremely seductive. This happened many times already, not just in novels and movies, but in reality. I know of some decent women who succumbed to such a temptation.

Men are easier to entice, more so if the temptress is highly seductive. A show of white, smooth legs, a shapely body, and an abundant chest are more than enough to drag his attention to the temptation. No matter how committed he is to his original relationship, no matter how principled he is, if he comes across such a temptation, he would most likely yield.
But pleasures are temporary. When things finally get discovered, chaos takes place within the relationship. Jealousy is a powerful emotion. When it breaks loose, violence could erupt. If mere suspicions are dangerous, how much more if the pieces of evidence are glaring enough?