BY RADO GATCHALIAN , Knight of Rizal – Last night I was trying to start writing my speech for Rizaliana but somehow with my reflection and prayer and looking at the image of Jose Rizal in my book I suddenly stopped and said to myself I think this time I do not need to prepare a Rizaliana because in this pandemic period, a very tragic and saddest moment in our history – a wisdom came into my mind:
More than knowledge, we need wisdom.
More than information, we need inspiration.
More than facts, we need values.
More than a stone, we need love.
More than words, we need service.
As I was looking again at the book of Jose Rizal in front of me; somehow, I felt a sense of guilt, somehow, I felt a sense of shame. Because I am about to talk about patriotism. I always promote Dr Jose Rizal. I always advocate love for our country. And yet here I am in a foreign land, Australia.
But somehow the image of Jose Rizal also taught me something. Another wisdom came into my mind:
Jose Rizal, our national hero, is more than a Filipino.
Jose Rizal is a universal human being.
Jose Rizal is a cosmopolitan citizen.
Then this image of Rizal in front of me, and now at my back (referring to the bust of Rizal at Rizal Park, Rooty Hill), trying to remind me that:
Even though we are here in a foreign land we can still be a Filipino.
And then with my prayer, with a comfort in my heart, I realise that:
Being a Filipino, like Jose Rizal, is more than a piece of paper, is more than a piece of citizenship, is more than a passport.
Jose Rizal is a man of virtue. Jose Rizal is a Filipino not only because he has a “citizenship of being a Filipino”. Remember during that time, on his period, we are still technically not called “Filipino,” we are still part of Spain.
But still with these teachings, with the noble philosophy of Jose Rizal, I have this wisdom last night that says, as I have said a while ago: More than information, in this CoVid period, we need inspiration. And I hope each of us will continue to emulate Jose Rizal not just by words, not just in lips, but in every movement that we do in our daily lives.
The most amazing thing about Jose Rizal is this: whenever, wherever he went, he made himself practical, purposeful, productive, and meaningful. And this is a challenge for all of us, even though we are here in a foreign land, Australia, which we love. A beautiful country! We are blessed! We should be like Jose Rizal. That even though he went to Europe, he went to America, he went to Asia, he made himself practical, purposeful, productive.
This is a challenge for all us as Filipinos here in Sydney. As a Filipino community, we hope to become a race, a heritage, full of purposeful activity as one race, as one Filipino.
As we face in front of us the image of Dr Jose Rizal may we remember not just a stone but love. Being a Filipino is more than the word “Filipino.” It is in our hearts and minds. And I hope as I finish this Rizaliana, we will all go back to our home full of inspiration that we will be truthfully and honestly a follower of Jose Rizal.
And quickly I would like to share with you one quick story. I always love to mingle with Filipinos and I always love to have this conversation. But somehow, not just one instance but many instances, that whenever I speak to our kababayan, our fellow Filipinos, you won’t believe some of them would say “There is no point of becoming fully socially aware of what’s happening in the Philippines. What is the point? We are already in Australia. What is the point? We are no longer a Filipino citizen. What is the point of becoming attached to what is happening in our Motherland, the Philippines?”
It saddens me, truthfully, that Filipinos, my own fellow Filipinos could easily say that without even thinking that they would say what is the point of being socially aware, attached, in what is happening in the Philippines.
And the question is this: If Jose Rizal can hear that sentiment of our fellow Filipinos, what would he feel? What will he feel? I do not want to answer that question. I would like to leave that to you to answer that question: What would Rizal feel if our fellow Filipinos would say, without even thinking and with conviction, that there is no point of having this attachment to Philippines.
It saddens me.
I hope as followers of Rizal it is a challenge for all of us to break this thinking of our fellow Filipinos; that even though we are here in Australia we should remain, truthfully, as Filipinos in our hearts and minds.
And to end, with your indulgence, as I said I hope I will bring inspiration, I would like to deliver the first stanza of Rizal’s last poem, originally in Spanish, and hopefully I can translate, without losing memory, in English and Tagalog, with my own translation.
As you listen to each word and as you search and look for Jose Rizal, we can find him in his words. Let us read and study his works: nandoon po si Jose Rizal. More than a stone, the challenge is for us to study and read his works.
Adios patria adorada, region del sol querida,
Perla del mar de oriente, nuestro perdido Eden!
A darte voy alegre la triste mustia vida,
Y fuera mas brillante, mas fresca, mas florida.
Tambien por ti la diera, la diera por tu bien.
Farewell, my Fatherland that I adore, the region of sun caressed,
Pearl of the Orient Sea, the lost Eden!
With gladness, I will give my life to you even though full of sadness and repressed.
Though it might be brighter, though it might be fresher, or more blooming like flowers,
Still, I will continue to give my life to your best.
O, Paalam aking Lupang Sinilangan aking sinisinta, maging ang haring araw ay niyayakap ka,
Perlas ng Dagat Silangan, maging ang Paraisong Eden ay naglahong parang bula.
May kagalakan sa aking puso, ibibigay ko ang aking buhay kahit na ito may ay malungkot at kaawa-awa,
Kung ito may ay maging mas matinag, mas makinang, o kaya ay mas sariwa, o kaya naman ay mas namumukadkad na parang bulaklak,
Muli, muli, aking ihahandog ang aking buhay para sa iyong kadakilaan, aking Inang Bayan.
Muchas gracias! Thank you very much! Maraming salamat po!
- “More than a Stone. We Need Love”, Rizal Day address at the Rizal Park, Rooty Hill, NSW, Australia hosted by the Knights of Rizal Northern Sydney Chapter