I originally had a different topic in mind for this post — mostly about  and God’s faithfulness all throughout — but when I saw numerous posts about President Duterte calling the Catholic Church “full of s**t” I couldn’t help writing this. This is not meant to be a political post, nor will it be a lengthy one. It actually has just one purpose: To invite, nay, URGE, people to pray.

There is so, so, so much going on right now in the Philippines (and worldwide, too!), and if you’re active on social media, you’ll especially know what I mean. I don’t know about you but my heart hurts for our country and our people. So let us pray, please. Let us pray for God to change hearts, including our own.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says:

…if then my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and heal their land.

The Catholic Church is made up of imperfect, sinful sinners, and no one claims otherwise. ALL of us need to humble ourselves and pray. ALL of us need to seek God’s face and turn from our evil ways.

Not just once or twice, but every single day. Every single moment, actually.

Because we live in a world that is broken, imperfect, sinful. Saint Paul writes clearly about this in Ephesians 6:12-18 (emphasis mine):

Battle against Evil.

Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.

For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.

Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.

So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,  and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace.

In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one.

And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit.

Now, more than ever, we need to pray. Let us put on the full armor of God, brothers and sisters. Let’s pray the Rosary, go to Eucharistic Adoration, avail of the Sacrament of Confession, offer Masses, cling to the Word of God in Sacred Scripture, pray for our fellow Filipinos — including President Rody Duterte and our other leaders. Here is a prayer we can use, written by yours truly but inspired by the Holy Spirit:

A Prayer for the Philippines

Lord, we come to You in our time of need. We acknowledge our sins and humbly ask for Your forgiveness. We want to turn from our evil ways, Lord. Please help us to do so. Please help others to do so, too.

Lord, we know that You are the Source of all life, love and light. We seek Your help for our country, our beloved Philippines, during these dark times.

There is so much brokenness, so much hatred, so much division, so much pain. Only You can heal our land, Lord. Only You can bring about peace.

Help us, Lord, to be peacemakers in our own ways, big and small. Help us to be charitable with our words and selfless with our actions.  Help us to see the good in others, even when there seems to be nothing good about them.

More than being good citizens of the Philippines, Lord, help us to strive to be good citizens of Your kingdom. Use us according to Your mighty and holy will to bring healing to our country, starting with our own families, neighborhoods, and local communities.

We surrender our country to You, Lord.

We surrender our leaders to You, Lord.

We surrender ourselves — the Filipino people, no matter what religion or background we have — to You, Lord.

Dearest Mama Mary and all the Saints in heaven, pray for us!

Amen.

Please help us invite more people to pray for our country — feel free to share this post with your family and friends. Together, let us bring the Light of Jesus to those who need it the most!