Legacy: Alfred Nobel & President Duterte
IN the year 1888, a man who invented dynamite had become very rich by selling guns and ammunition for killing people. One morning, he awoke to read his own death notice in the newspaper.
Actually, it was his brother who had died but a reporter had mistakenly written his life and death story.
*** Now for the first time the man saw himself as the world saw him: The “dynamite king” and nothing more.
To the world he was simply a merchant of death and he would be remembered for that alone.
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Horrified, he regretted that his invention had been used for destructive purposes. So he left a substantial fund to establish and support the prizes for the most valued of all annual awards – the Nobel Peace Prize.
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The Nobel Prizes are given out for outstanding contributions in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, the economic sciences, and the pursuit of world peace and development.
The prizes of more than a million US dollars is usually bestowed in glittering December ceremonies held in Oslo, Norway.
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That’s the story of the Swedish chemist-industrialist BERNHARD ALFRED NOBEL. Instead of being remembered as a “merchant of explosives” and “dynamite king,” he left behind a more noble name as “man of peace.”
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Your preoccupation may not be dealing with explosives like Alfred Nobel’s but it could be selling dangerous drugs, pornographic materials, or are engaged in corrupt practices. Are you part of the solution to society’s numerous problems or part of the problem?
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When you leave this world, will you be remembered for something good or something bad? Will your family and people who know you be proud or ashamed of you?
In the case of PRESIDENT RODY DUTERTE, he has already chalked up a lot of accomplishments in so short a time. But what many people cannot stomach are the EJK (extrajudicial killing), giving no chance for a suspect to due process. The negative image mars and eclipses the numerous achievements he has had so far.
*** In this light, Pres. Duterte would do well to examine his conscience like what the chemist Alfred Nobel did and change the negative perception people have about him into a positive one. That would be the best legacy he will leave behind.
*** When he leaves this world and comes face-to-face with his Creator — assuming that he believes in Him — how will he justify the summary executions of more than 10,000 users and pushers?
But all is not too late. Like Alfred Nobel, President Duterte can reverse the direction of his life from being known as a “killer president” into benevolent, reformist, and God-fearing president.
*** GOOD WORK. Speaking of doing good, one concrete way I can propose is helping our poor seminarians in their schooling.
In order to have priests and missionaries of the church, we should care for seminarians first.
Hence, this appeal. Chip in an amount or sponsor a poor seminarian’s schooling for one school year.
*** GOD BLESS… the latest donors to our “Adopt-A-Seminarian” scholarship program: JESUSA BAUTISTA, RAMONA FELICIANO, TESS SAULOG, LEY ALANDY DY, LOLITA TY, RICHARD/ELLEN YANG, VIRGIE CHENG, ESTER GABALDON, CHERYL BAUTISTA, EDNA BASA, ELIZABETH LIM, ANNABEL BRAGANZA, FRANCIS YU. *** Others who are interested to help may e-mail me at: belsvd@gmail.com