Gallimaufry

This is one word I have ignored and never used. Not only is it difficult to spell, it is also laborious to pronounce. Instead, I use simpler synonyms like hodgepodge, oleo, mishmash, medley, and jumble. 

But today, it is the answer to the newspaper’s crossword puzzle clue: motley assortment. 

I am struck dumb—this is our world, in general, and our country, in particular, today! All its synonyms seem too weak. It's time I used it.  

We are drowning in a sea of different ideologies, many of them a gallimaufry of lies, fake news, and heresy. The media tell us that our prople are suffering from the highest ever (in 14 years) inflation rate at 8% and the highest-priced red onions at P300 per kilo.  

Poverty (situation of people whose per capita income cannot sufficiently meet basic food and non-food needs) is at 18.1% or around 19.99 million living below PhP 12,030 per month for a family of five. In addition to poverty, “lack of education, drug or substance abuse, vice, crime and unemployment are among the many problems that continue to batter them.” Rampant and blatant corruption should be in there, too. Can we ever swim back to shore?   

This gallimaufry is exactly what the good Book tells us about the end times:  

“. . . the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore . . . sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” (Matthew 13:47-50 RSV) 

Gallimaufry will finally end on judgment day. 

Note to self: Before that happens, here and now is when we need the grace of redemption to save us from drowning.