October 7, 2020

Submitted by: Heidi P. Opada

Martyr to Philippine Cause

When we talk about “martyr” it is someone who suffers persecution and death for
advocating, renouncing, refusing to renounce, or refusing to advocate a religious belief or cause
as demanded by an external party. In the martyrdom narrative of the remembering community,
this refusal to comply with the presented demands results in the punishment or execution of an
actor by an alleged oppressor. Accordingly, the status of the 'martyr' can be considered a
posthumous title as a reward for those who are considered worthy of the concept of martyrdom
by the living, regardless of any attempts by the deceased to control how they will be remembered
in advance. Most martyrs are considered holy or are respected by their followers, becoming
symbols of exceptional leadership and heroism in the face of difficult circumstances. As a
Filipino, Jose Rizal that is considered our national hero is a martyr for Filipino freedom.
Rizal's death was an emotional event in our history as it produced a "martyr" and resulted
in some form of social change or transformation in our lives as a people.  Rizal was put to death
for "subversion" by the dominant political forces. He represented a sector of society which had
begun to cause trouble and therefore constituted a real threat to the existing social order. As what
is said in the definition of a martyr, he/she can be a hero that’s why there is no doubt that Jose
Rizal is one of them. But some people still questioned him being our national hero because for
some reasons like he is not a pure Filipino. For me, he deserved to be a national hero because he
had proven that pen is mightier than the sword and he didn’t use violence to fight off the
Spaniards. His pen may not have an immediate effect, but it made a more lasting impact and still
very significant after generations of Filipinos. He sacrificed his life for the sake of our country
and for the Filipino people.
Being a martyr is not bad but it requires so much courage and bravery to defend yourself
of what you believe in. It’s like your being selfless. Being a martyr is no way to live, even if you
think that you’re doing is righteous it’s not your responsibility to handle things on your own. The
problem with that is you’re living your life for other people. And its hard to see into your future
and how things turn out for you when you’ve only been thinking about others. I think during
Rizal’s time he thinks that he’s doing that because “no one else will” and that reflects him being
a good leader. Well being a martyr have its advantage and disadvantage to your own life.
Rizal’s martyrdom is an important milestone in a nation's life. It allows the present
generation to look back at what transpired in its history to make possible the birth and growth of
a nation. It provides a good time to reassess the lessons that we have learned from the past and in
the process of reflection, to be able to understand ourselves and our collective consciousness as a
people, as a Filipino and as a human.