In his opening salvo, Rizal describes Philippines as awesome because of its abundance both in aquatic and agricultural resources that the land invaders (which were symbolized by cypress, laurel and lily) were interested at. Truly, our country is one among the richest in terms of natural resources and with the freshest and pollution-free country. It is not true that we’re a country of cockroach as what the foreign actress said in one of her interviews. There may be towns in the cities that are with these pests but come to think of it, we are targeted by these invaders even until now because we are the reasons why their countries are still surviving because our agricultural resources, our forests are the ones that sequester their (highly industrialized countries) excessive emission of carbon dioxide that somehow fights the effects of global warming.

Rizal also acknowledged his countrymen who gambled their lives in exchange of freedom which is a manifestation of gratitude, an indication that he saluted these few good men who had been zealous for liberty even it demanded an unbearable risks.

If we’ll try to check what we are today it is because of what they fought for in the past. But what is sad about this generation is that it’s already our countrymen who give us so much burdens because of corrupt leaders, and terrorism that have been affecting our economy, justice system and security.

The poem portrays how hopeful Rizal was that one day the gloom of the night brought by the misfortune, injustice, slavery that had been caused by these inhumane invasions would be exposed and shame to these “hoodlums in robes” because their haughtiness will be no more!

From that time on, we’ve got that independence because of that intense desire of restoration which was zealously fought by Rizal up to the last drop of his blood. But where we are now? Do we really have that liberty when in fact our governance is the one who is in question nowadays because of alleged anomalous leadership? Look at the list of alleged corruption cases during the last administration.

• NBN ZTE Scandal
• Millions of bribe money to Congressmen and Governors (October 2007)
• Cheating in 2004 Elections (Hello Garci)
• Joc Joc Bolante Case (Fertilizer Scam, P728 Million)
• Jose Pidal Bank Account (Unexplained Wealth, P200 Million)
• Nani Perez Power Plant Deal ($2 Million)
• Use of Road User's Tax for Campaigning
• Billion Peso Macapagal Boulevard (Overprice of P532 Million)
• Juetengate (Illegal Numbers game kickbacks)
• Extra Judicial Killings
• Moneys in Germany (Exposed by Senator Cayetano)
• General Garcia and Other Military Men
• Billion Peso Poll Automation contract (P1.3 Billion)
• Northrail Project($503 Million)
• Maguindanao Results of 2007 Elections (Zubiri, Bedol)
• NAIA-3 Venable Contract (Norberto Gonzales)
• Swine Scam (Exposed by Atty. Harry Roque)
• P432-million fertilizer deal in 2003
• Journalist and former Ombudsman of the DA Marlene Esperat was killed 2005. The gunmen were apprehended and convicted, but the mastermind was never caught.newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20081023-167961/Marlene-Esperat-murder

Are we really liberated from that nightmare that we had in the past or should we say just like what the writer Graciano Lopez Jaena says in his prose that “Liberty is a myth”?

In our personal relationship with our neighbors, how many of us give life to the lives of others? At times, we tend to be hard making side comments to those women who are into prostitution as if we want to vomit them out of our sight. Burt did we find time talking to them to know how did they end up in this kind of work? If we could only spend time talking with them we could find out that like us, they also have their ambition of a good life. It’s just that they have been fallen short of significant others who may influence them towards a better life. Because when they approach people for a help, all their responses were in unison like, “I’m sorry, we can’t help you, we also have our own problems!” But if we’ll think of it, there are actually many ways of helping them. It’s just that we don’t’ want to spend our time.

Rizal was aware of the fate he would face as consequence of his actions which he already accepted beforehand because he believed that his death would mean life for the country.

Probably during that time, people had been suspecting about Rizal’s sincerity of his advocacy towards restoration of people which was just natural because of many instances of treachery that they had experienced along the way. But Rizal was confident that one day, the citizenry would regard him as “jewel of eastern water” which really happened in which he is given the _title_ as the national hero.
In our personal life, we also have our own version of distrust against our neighbor. For example, in other countries, a police record of an individual is not an issue to discriminate the person applying for a job but in our country, it is seldom that we could hear companies hiring an ex-convict. But if we’ll try to conduct a life_style_ check especially these government officials, they’re even dangerous than these ex-convicts because of the millions of dollars that they squander on the government funds which causes economic suffering of the millions of people.

Before his death, he had wished to be visited in his gravemound that by simply a caress on his _frame_ he could already feel affection.
In contrast, how many of us have this effort to at least pray for the souls of those who are already departed? Is it not that we only remember them during “All Souls Day”? Prayers could move the heart of the ONE who is above all for the outpouring of grace and mercy. Many have died who did not even witness the goodness of life because they were deprived of it. Many have died unprepared because of the violent choices of others. Many have died because of the wrong choices they made brought by the influence of this violent world. They need our prayers equally as we need prayers for ourselves. In His revelation to St. Faustina, Jesus says, “Today I am sending you with My mercy to the whole of mankind. I don’t want to punish afflicted mankind, but I desire to heal it by passing it to My Merciful Heart. Punishment I use when they themselves force me to it. Before the day of justice, I am sending the day of mercy.” (Devotion to the Divine Mercy & Selected Prayers from the Diary of Sr. Faustina)

Even Rizal himself because of the uncalculable sufferings that he had gone through, he asked the people to pray because he believed that efforts alone were not enough without God’s providence. The _script_ure says, “You covet but do not possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not possess because you do not ask. You ask but do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:23).

In the end, the Spanish regime was destined to end because of their passion on greed whereas the Philippines embraced that freedom because of prayers and faith that were focused for the common good.

In his will of testament, Rizal emphasized the abundance of faith giving it so much significance into our lives implying that “faith does not kill” which he proved not only to his countrymen but to the conquerors who displayed faith through religion but kills at the same time using religiosity as cover up which is an act of deceitfulness. He fought oppressions and slavery through his wisdom, intelligence and prayers. What we do is actually the reflection of our prayers. Violence could be seen in our actions because that’s the kind of thought that we entertain into our consciousness. Non-violent deeds manifest in us because that’s how our conscience balance our perspective. Thoughts that are weighed suitably by our conscience is already a manifestation of prayers because the right choice is God’s providence; providence that we respond to.

In his final word on the poem, Rizal says, “I love farewell,” because despite the misery he had experienced in the hands of the foreigners, he was able to maximize the goodness of his heart for his countrymen and for himself. Although he had been repressed up to the extent that he was incarcerated, he could still maintained his composure to discern of the best alternative through prayers to stop the insolent minds of the captors, to divulge the truth, and indeed to live into the light.