The essence of conviction and action seen through the life of Rizal

Amid the hustle and bustle of year-end and New Year, we often forget important parts of history. Yet, in December over a century ago, José Rizal walked to the execution site one morning amidst astonishing silence. A man who did not believe in violent uprisings closed his life for a simple reason: he refused to bend his beliefs.

Interestingly, what had a lasting impact on Philippine history was not the act of execution itself, but the trajectory of how he lived. Today, December 30th is celebrated as Rizal Day, a holiday that for many Filipinos is merely an opportunity to take a paid day off. The true significance of the person has faded, and awareness of what he symbolized has become thin.

However, it may be precisely this forgetfulness that paradoxically hints at why his life and death remain important even now.

The Choice to Uphold Ideals — Why He Did Not Save Himself

Rizal’s execution was not inevitable; it was a choice. Several months before his death, the Katipunan revolutionary movement offered to rescue him from exile in Dapitan. Leader Andres Bonifacio sought assistance to lead the revolution, but Rizal himself resolutely refused.

His decision was remarkably pragmatic. With limited resources, his compatriots were not yet prepared for a full-scale uprising. He recognized that such actions would only lead to pointless bloodshed.

Rizal and Katipunan pursued the path to freedom from different directions. One sought liberation through reform, the other through revolution. Despite their differences, they ultimately aimed for the same goal.

Although Rizal substantially inspired the revolution, he openly condemned it. In a declaration written on December 15, 1896, he stated: “I condemn this uprising — it dishonors the Filipino people and damages the credibility of our cause. I strongly criticize its criminal methods and deny any involvement in it.”

The Evolution of Conviction — From Illusions of Spanish Assimilation to Awakening

Rizal’s ideas were not static; they evolved throughout his life. Initially, he believed that assimilation with Spain was possible and desirable. He was captivated by European art, culture, and liberal thought.

However, repeated experiences of racial discrimination and injustice eroded this conviction. Particularly in the land disputes of Calamba, through conflicts with Dominican friars, Rizal realized that the dream of assimilation was an illusion. In 1887, he wrote to Blumentritt: “It was a mistake for Filipinos to long for and desire Spanishization.”

Historian Renato Constantino described Rizal as “consciousness without movement.” But that consciousness is what matters. His writings and activities became part of a tradition of protest, eventually blossoming into revolution.

Constantino notes: “As a social critic exposing oppression, Rizal played a notable role. His initial goal — to elevate the indio to the level of Spanish civilization and to have the nation assimilated — transformed into its opposite.”

Impact on History — What One Death Created

When Spain executed Rizal in Manila’s Luneta Park in 1896, it was not just one man who fell; something greater was awakened.

His death strengthened the people’s desire for separation, unified fragmented movements, and provided moral legitimacy to the revolution. Had Rizal accepted exile, subsequent uprisings might have been more fragmented, directionless, and weakened.

What his life and death brought about was systemic change. Not because he sought martyrdom, but because he refused to sell out his ideals.

Historian Ambeth Ocampo describes his mysterious calmness in Rizal Without a Cross: “Rizal was a peaceful and gentle person who deliberately and calmly walked toward death for his beliefs. Before his execution, his pulse was reportedly normal. How many people do you know who are willing to die for their convictions, despite being able to avoid it?”

Ocampo calls Rizal a “conscious hero,” because he was fully aware of his decisions and their consequences.

In a letter written in 1892, he stated: “Furthermore, I want to show those who deny patriotism that we can die for duty and conviction. If we die for loved ones and homeland, what is death?”

Official Legacy and True Significance

Today, Rizal is canonized as a national hero, and his legacy has been partly shaped by narratives from the American colonial period. Historian Theodore Friend pointed out that Rizal was favored because “Aguinaldo was too radical, Bonifacio too revolutionary, and Mabini too stubborn.”

Constantino more frankly states: “They preferred heroes who would not oppose American colonial rule.”

However, the title of national hero does not define Rizal’s true value. His legacy exists independently of it.

What matters is humanizing Rizal, not sanctifying him. We must ask what lessons from his life still apply today, and what parts do not.

In his essay “Our Task: Making Rizal Obsolete,” Constantino wrote: “Rizal’s personal goal always aligned with what he believed to be the best interests of the nation.” The reason to ‘make him obsolete’ is that as long as corruption and injustice persist, Rizal’s example remains relevant. If such ideals are truly realized, his legacy will have fulfilled its mission, and the need for symbolic heroes who stir conscience will diminish.

But the Philippines has not yet reached that stage.

Lessons from Rizal’s Life for the Modern World

Just as Rizal refused to compromise his beliefs, modern Filipinos are called to stand firm against the temptations and pressures of corruption and injustice.

Dying is not a prescription for patriotism. However, choosing to uphold one’s beliefs might be the last means of maintaining personal integrity. On December 30, the nation should remember not only how Rizal died but, more importantly, why he refused to save himself.

That is why the life of one man from over a century ago continues to speak to us today.