The Second Coming of Jose Rizal

Reading 2: The Second Coming of Jose Rizal

It amazes me how a lot of people can put their own religion and beliefs into something, such as stories, that can only be seen as mere myths and just imaginations nowadays. One good example of this is the Rizalistas. The Rizalistas is a group of people that deeply believes and has a strong adoration for Jose Rizal. As discussed by Dennis Villegas, the writer of “The Second Coming of Jose Rizal,” “Originally, there was only one Rizalista group in Lecheria: the Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi that was founded in 1936.” Since battles occurred between members, the group was divided into four. Thus, making each group (even members) come up with their own versions of how Rizal was born.
I know that some people do consider the Rizalista as a religion. A religion that also worships a Divine Being, and for them it is Rizal. As a Christian, I cannot just say that I or we could consider it (Rizalista) as a religion simply because the Rizalistas worships Rizal as a Divine Being, the Creator, which we cannot just ignore. When they say that Rizal is their Divine Being or their God, as a Christian, we cannot stop ourselves from comparing Rizal to our Lord Jesus Christ. The way we (Christians) praise our God, is also the way they praise Rizal. “The Rizalistas may differ in their beliefs even though they may belong to the same Rizalista sect.” Frankly, I am not against the Rizalistas. I respect them, I respect their beliefs and I respect Rizal. As stated by the writer, “Notwithstanding their unique beliefs, the Rizalistas are genuinely good people,” I too, also believe that they are good people.
I find the Rizalistas interesting because of their deep adoration and strong belief for Rizal. Their beliefs are strong enough to influence other people. By telling other people about the different versions of stories of how Rizal was born are somewhat attention-grabbing, though some really finds it mystical. “Although many of us might dismiss these stories as mere myths and pigments of the imagination, the Rizalistas wholeheartedly believe them. There might be other versions out there about Rizal’s life, and the Rizalistas mostly keep an open mind to more stories and mysteries about God Rizal. They accept these as a way of acknowledging that God Rizal cannot be truly comprehended by the limited human mind,” as said by the writer.
Rizal is also a God for me, but he is more like a hero type. As what Supreme Bishop Pedro Reblando said, “What is important is, we must believe that Rizal is God, and when we do so, we must live His teachings: love of country and fellow men. And then we will all be saved in His Second Coming.” I may not know the true story behind Rizal’s birth but one thing I am sure about is that, he is a hero-god-like. His works and novels influenced a lot of people, not just in our country, but also from people all over the world. He died for his people, and he died with a noble cause.