FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD...

...THAT He gave His only begotten Son, an example by deed that’s too tough an act to follow, but some nations like China—admittedly the world’s mightiest in both economic and military power—had trouble adopting a similar one-child policy.

As the Scriptures would have it, the same Son was quoted as saying in rebuke to a Judas Iscariot who was feigning concern for the have-nots but was actually dipping his hands into their funds: “You have the poor with you always, but you will not always have me.”

There down pat-- the in-your-face reality of dearth on earth, the human condition.

But in pre-election campaigns, Judas Iscariot copycats are wont to ply out sugar-coated sound bites in feigned appeal to vote-rich hordes of the impoverished gullible enough to believe. By such fruits we shall know who these liars are in our politically afflicted times.

The barefaced liar that Judas Iscariot was went on to betray the Son of Man, consequently saw the error of his ways and made attempt at atonement, an act of contrition via suicide. Unrepentant politicians are not similarly inclined to hang at the gallows—and no lynch mob has turned up in this neck of the woods to oblige them.

“It’s no shame to be poor. It’s no great honor either.” So laments a jolly spirit Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof” as he went through the back-breaking tasks of keeping body and soul together, bringing food to the family table, and honoring time-worn traditions of serving the community in an entrepreneurial activity. He kept his faith despite body-and-soul wracking times.

The faithful are reminded by the Son of Man: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”

That kingdom is within—not without.

The bounty flows within the human spirit, not from the empty babble of callous politicos and Judas Iscariots purportedly out to bring an end to poverty.

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ALAMAT NG TAHONG

SAKBIBI ng agam-agam sa kalagayan ng butihing kabiyak-- at kabiyakan, opo-- na nakaratay sa karamdaman, ang pumalaot na mangingisda ay napagawi sa paanan ng dambuhalang Waczim-- isang bathala na nagkakaloob sa sinuman anumang ibulwak ng bibig mula sa bukal ng dibdib. Pangangailangan sa salapi na pambili ng gamot ng kapilas-pusong maysakit ang nakasaklot sa puso ng matandang mangingisda. 'Di kaginsa-ginsa'y bumundol ang kanyang bangka sa paanan ng Waczim. Kagy at umigkas ang katagang kimkim noon sa kanyang dibdib: "Salapi!" Bumuhos ng salapi-- mga butil at gilit ng ginto-- mula papawirin. At halos umapaw sa ginto ang bangka ng nagulantang na mangingisda, walang pagsidlan ang galak, at walang humpay ang pasasalamat sa mga bathala. Nanumbalik ang kalusugan ng kabiyak ng mangingisda. At lumago ang kabuhayan, naging mariwasa ang magkapilas-puso na dating maralita. Nilasing ng kanyang mga dating kalapit-bahay ang mangingisda-- na hindi ikina...

Cal y canto con camote

FENG shui (literally, wind water flow) lore has it root crops embody a hidden store of treasures. Say, a local food conglomerate needs yearly 35,000 metric tons of cassava for livestock feed-- the available local supply falls short of 13,000 tons. Cassava granules sell for around P9 a kilo. Demand for the same root crop to be used in liquor manufacturing is hitting above the roof. Why, raising cassava is a no-brainer task— this is one tough crop that can grow in the most hostile patches of earth, providing sustenance for ages to dwellers in sub-Saharan parts of Africa. While the hardy cassava is nearly pure starch, the lowly sweet potato or kamote is considered by nutritionists as a super food, the most nutritious of all vegetables— kamote levels of Vitamin A are “off the charts, rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.” A fist-sized kamote can supply a day’s dose of glucose to fuel the brain, muscles, and organs, so they claim. Count the country lucky...

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‘TWAS CRUEL as smashing a budding green thumb: some years back, an abuela warned me about letting any clump of katigbi (Job’s tears or Coix lachrymal jobi for you botanists) from growing in our homeyard. That grass with rapier-like leaves that smelled of freshly pounded pinipig supposedly invited bad luck and sorrows—why, that biblical character Job wailed and howled a lot, didn’t he? (But was later rewarded with oodles of goodies, wasn’t he?) Then, I came across some arcane text that practically goaded folks to grow katigbi in their gardens—why, there’s a starchy kernel wrapped shut in the seed’s shiny coat. A handful or more of kernels could be cooked as porridge. Too, one could whisper a wish upon seven seed pods, throw ‘em pods in running water—a river or stream—and the wish would be granted! I was warned, too, about planting kapok or talisay trees right in the homeyard—these trees form a cross-like branching pattern. Pasang-krus daw ang bahay na kalapit sa puno ng kapok, tal...

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