Star Gazing

It was like having a dream where you want to wake up but can’t. You’re blinded by the twinkling of a galaxy of stars in one big, but suffocating, space.

I am not talking about movie stars or the celebrities whose lives we dig up in gossip columns. I am referring to a different kind of ilk—stars in politics, diplomatic corps, military, and judiciary. Stars that make it to newspaper headlines and the 6 o’clock news.

The occasion was the 108th anniversary of The Manila Bulletin, a major newspaper these stars love most or can never hate.

When all Philippine newspapers scream with headlines like, “Massive Cheating in the South,” or “Wire Tapping Scandal Angers GMA” or “Destabilization Plot Uncovered,” The Manila Bulletin writes, “Pope appoints Papal Nuncio.”

So everyone was there—from the Justice of the Supreme Court, the Speaker of the House, the Senate President, Ambassadors of different countries, the Executive Secretary, Ex-Presidents, to the current President of the Philippines.

After imbibing too much juice of varying kinds, I rushed to the comfort room only to be shooed away, “Ma’am, that cubicle is reserved for President GMA.”

I decided to enjoy the event by asking Tony to take my photo with some of them. “Let me take a shot of you with Joe de Venecia,” he suggested.

“No way,” I said, and walked instead to where US Ambassador Kristie Kenney was having a tete-a-tete with Carlos P. Romulo’s widow.

Tony, who always had a nose for news said the next day after reading the newspaper headlines (not The Manila Bulletin), “You missed the chance to have a photo caption that says, ‘Me and the Speaker before the ax fell.’”

Why were Tony and I there in the first place? Well, veteran advertising people get invited to media functions; this particular newspaper just happens to attract all the stars.

Star gazing isn’t as nightmarish as it sounds. Most of the stars, especially those who figure in corruption, deception, wheeling and dealing and cheating, and cover-ups are a frequent fare in our church’s prayer concerns.

A simple folk like me just can’t seem to get used to the glare of all the constellations—sparkling and falling stars among them.

After that night, I cried over this verse, “If My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land . . .” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Please help us pray for the healing of our land.