“Be Christ-like”- Arch Jose Palma

Host to the 51st International Eucharistic Congress, Archbishop of Cebu Jose Palma in his speech at the closing ceremony thanked all visitors and delegates, volunteers and working groups including the government who collaborated for the success of this grand pilgrimage.

“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His Mercy endures forever!” he said, “Our hearts are filled with thanksgiving for the last 8 days of congress proper… 3 days of theological symposium, indeed… they have become Days of grace, goodness and mercy.”

Christ in Us our Hope of Glory
The week-long gathering, he says, “has reminded that every time we celebrate the Eucharist… whenever sacred scripture is read, in the Church, God himself speaks to his people; and every time we partake of the body and blood of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine, our hearts find joy and our hope is renewed; for Christ comes in us in the most excellent and real way and we become parts of this one body Christ is in us; thus we could proclaim to the world often afflicted by loneliness due to individualism and indifferentism that we are never alone for Christ is in us.”

More than 10,000 delegates came from 73 countries to attend the 51st IEC Jan 24-31, 2016 in Cebu City, with the theme, “Christ in us our Hope of Glory.”

“And so we urge those in the brink of despair that there is hope for “we have been saved by hope” who is Jesus Christ, our Lord,” he added.

Archbishop Palma continued to thank those who have made this Congress not just a gathering of believers but an opportunity of encounter with the Eucharistic Lord and with one another, “To Papal Legate Charles Maung Cardinal Bo, Your words inspired us and so today we respond to stage a 3rd world war vs. poverty, greed and injustice. Your presence has become our armor, and your wisdom our strength as we begin our battle. As you continue your ministry in Myanmar, please be assured that starting today that every Filipino, every Cebuano will be praying for you and your people.”

He also thanked members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines who gathered for the first time in Cebu City, “I hope and pray that from our assembly, will emerge a holy union of energies in the service of the common good of the churches as we continue our journey towards the 500 years of the arrival of Christianity in our shores.”

He continued, “God’s goodness and mercy are not ideas… they have become and they have been concrete by those who are directly involved in this Eucharistic congress. May the Lord strengthen the bonds of communion and collaboration we established so that the glory of Christ in us may be made manifest in our society.”

He made special mention of one country who sent 600 delegates, one country alone, Taiwan who were graced by the presence of their vice president.

The Archbishop also apologize to the delegates and most especially the residents of Cebu for the traffic and for whatever inconveniences that they may have experienced. “However,” he said, “I hope that above all, your experience these past days have warmed your hearts for you have seen the Lord in the face of your fellow delegate in the face of every person you’ve met and in the face of the poor you encountered.”

“Because of our experience we may become Christ-like so that we too can give of ourselves for “in the Eucharistic communion the Christian individual and community cannot remain indifferent to the call to share and give of oneself to become bread for the life of the world.”

In every mass we end with the words, “Go forth the Mass is ended. “But the truth as your Eminence pointed out is that” the mass of the disciple is unending” as one community of disciples we move today from communion to mission. From having been gifted to bringing gifts. We entrust to Mary our mother the fruition and consummation of all our endeavors thus we proclaim to all men and women and goodwill… Christ in us is our Hope of Glory.”