11/06/2025
The Holy Spirit, the very breath of God, the Advocate sent to guide us into all truth (cf. John 16:13), does not, and cannot, guide us to abandon the path of justice or to circumvent due process.
The Holy Spirit: Guide to Rectitude, Not Justification for Expediency
When we say we are "guided by the Holy Spirit," what does that truly mean? It means our conscience—that inner sanctuary where God’s voice echoes, as our Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us (cf. CCC 1776)—is being enlightened. But here’s the thing: a rightly formed conscience is not some private, mystical feeling that bypasses reason or God’s moral law. No! As the Second Vatican Council’s Gaudium et Spes so beautifully puts it, conscience is our most secret core, where we are alone with God whose voice resounds in our depths (cf. GS 16). And that voice? It calls us to goodness and to truth, not to convenience or political expediency.
To say the Holy Spirit guides one to dismiss a legitimate process of accountability, especially one enshrined in the nation's highest law, is to fundamentally misunderstand how God works. The Holy Spirit always leads us towards rectitude, towards what is right, towards what serves the common good (bonum commune). He does not whisper in our ears to abandon the search for truth or to stifle the very mechanisms designed to uphold justice and ensure transparency in public life. To suggest otherwise, my friends, is to risk committing a grave error, attributing to God what might simply be human design or, dare I say, political maneuvering.
Justice, Rule of Law, and the Common Good: God's Design for Society
Now, let's talk about justice (iustitia). For us, justice is not just a virtue; it's a fundamental pillar of any good society, a reflection of God's own order. It means giving to each person what is rightfully theirs, constantly and perpetually. And how do we ensure justice in a human society? Through laws—human laws, which if they are just, must always be rooted in eternal law and natural law.
The Church's social doctrine, articulated in various encyclicals like Pope John XXIII's Pacem in Terris, consistently stresses the vital importance of the rule of law and the duties of public authorities. Sabi nga sa Pacem in Terris, public authorities exist to serve the common good, and their power must be exercised "within the confines of the moral order, by which man is bound to God" (PT 46). This means that every action, every decision by a public official, must be morally sound and contribute to the well-being of all, not just a few.
When a senator, acting as a judge, moves to dismiss an impeachment complaint, especially prematurely, what happens? There's a delay of justice. There's a potential obstruction of the truth. This action, regardless of its legal basis, has profound moral implications. It can erode public trust, foster cynicism, and ultimately harm the very common good that all public servants are sworn to protect. Can the Holy Spirit guide someone to undermine the very structures designed for justice and truth? Hinding-hindi! The Spirit of God is the Spirit of order, not of chaos or convenient shortcuts. He calls us to accountability, not to its evasion.
While we respect his personal faith, his public claim of divine guidance in halting a crucial judicial process requires careful and prayerful discernment. The Holy Spirit guides us towards truth, toward justice, toward the common good, and towards upholding the integrity of our institutions. An authentic manifestation of divine guidance in such a critical public moment would be to courageously facilitate the truth, to allow the process to unfold fully, and to ensure that justice, in all its forms, is truly served. To do otherwise, under the cloak of divine inspiration, risks not only misrepresenting the Holy Spirit but also failing in our grave moral duty to pursue what is right for God and for our nation.
