Sunday, August 21, 2016

Jose Rizal, Philippine National Hero emulates Jesus’ moral foundation on redemptive process


Deceber 30 marks the 116th anniversary of Rizal’s martyrdom which is declared a national holiday. Dr. Jose Rizal emulates Jesus’ moral foundation of the redemptive process: “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34) as alluded to his “Only love can work wonders; only virtue can redeem,” an incarnation of altruistic and unconditional love. 

Ironically, this generation could also be seen with youth who have been driven by a desire to fight for the country’s citizens’ right against abuses but use a violent line of attacking those in the government seat by burning effigies, writing on the structures’ walls to air sentiments and fighting with the authorities.

Compared with Mary and Joseph who greatly worried when the 12-year old Jesus lost in the midst of Passover Feast (Luke 2:41) wherein the Lord appeased them by calmly saying "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2;49), the teenager Rizal pulled himself away from romantic passion with Segunda Katigbak of Lipa[1] to obey the voice heard from within to follow instead the path of sacrifice and mission.


Another parallel occurrence between Jesus and Rizal is their births. When the infant Jesus was brought to the temple to be consecrated to the Lord, the devout Simeon upon seeing the child in the temple spoke about His redemptive mission (Luke 2:34). On the other hand, when the infant Rizal was brought to the church for baptism, the Filipino priest noticed the child’s uncommon head and told his mother to be watchful as the boy would someday be a great man.

Jesus and Rizal were innocent victims whose deaths were instigated by men of robes: the chief priests, led by Caiaphas, who conspired to get Jesus nailed to the cross (Matthew 26:57John 18:14)  and on the ohter hand the Spanish friars who conspired to get Rizal shot in Bagumbayan. The schemes to place Jesus and Rizal to execution bore the conspirators’ haughtiness and prejudice who desired the heads of their victims regardless of proof of innocence.

Harking back to the history, named as Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado by his parents Francisco Rizal Mercado y Alejandro and Teodora Alonza y Quintos, Rizal is the seventh child from the brood of eleven, born in town of Calamba in the province of Laguna in the Philippines on June 19, 1861. He was known for his amazing sharpness and abilities on learning at a very young age of five through his mother’s assiduousness who taught him the value on reading and writing.

As landowners who rented their land to the Dominican friars in Laguna, the Mercado family enjoyed affluence, whose priority was education.  Thus, Jose Rizal was tutored by Justiniano Aquino Cruz, from adjacent Biñan, Laguna.  However, the education he has acquired from the small town and tutorship did not amply satisfy his thirst for knowledge.  Subsequently, he was admitted to Ateneo Municipal de Manila (known also as Escuela Municipal de Manila (1859-1865), Ateneo Municipal de Manila (1865-1901) Ateneo de Manila (1901-1959) founded in 1859 by the Society of Jesus, the third-oldest university in the Philippines . Run by Jesuit Order, Ateneo was one of the most high-flying and academic institutions in the country provided for the rich, the powerful and most intelligent students that the country had, which suited the young Rizal.


His older brother Paciano Rizal Mercado insisted to drop the surname “Mercado” prior to his enrollment in this eminent institution to make sure of his disassociation with him who was reputed as frank subversive. Thus, he was known as Jose Protacio Rizal when he enrolled.

Raised by wealthy landowners, Jose Rizal studied a degree in Land Surveying and Assessment in this institution and graduated with honors or sobresaliente on March 14, 1877. In 1878, he took and passed the licensure exam for land surveying and assessment but was not granted with a license until 1881 when he turned 21.

After finishing of his degree from Ateneo Municipal de Manila, he pursued, his passion for the arts and enrolled at the Faculty of Arts and Letters for a degree in Philosophy at the University of Santo Tomas in 1878.


His mother’s ominous blindness induced him to study Medicine although he stood out at philosophy, and on that same year he enrolled in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at University of Santo Tomas to specialize in ophthalmology. He left the medical program in 1882 after experiencing discrimination against Filipino students by the Dominican professors in Medicine.

With the support of his older brother Paciano, he traveled to Spain without informing his parents believing that education in the country was inadequate. His years of stay in the European continent opened his broader perspective about the world, fortified his innate talents.

The ten years spent in the European continent would leave an indelible mark on his personality and open his eyes to the world’s reality, develop his natural talents and strengthen his zeal for the country. His hunger for education continued until he found himself studying at the University of Paris.  To further master his chosen field, he enrolled at the University of Heidelberg to specialize ophthalmology under the eminent eye specialist, Professor Otto Becker.

In Europe, he excelled and articulated his competence in arts such as sculpting, painting, architecture; physical activities such as fencing, pistol shooting, martial arts; he was knowledgeable and could discuss economics, agriculture, history, anthropology, and sociology with will power.

The government where his family hailed in Calamba, Laguna recognized his prowess in different sports during his lifetime after 117 years from his death.
Aside from which, he was also multilingual enabling him converse in over 10 languages including Filipino, English, Spanish, French, Dutch, and German, among the few.


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