‘Glow in the night’

Excerpts from the Homily
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
February 2, San Pedro Cathedral

“Twenty years ago, choosing this day, February 2, the now St. Pope John Paul II has started this beautiful custom of the church: the ‘World Day for Consecrated Life/Religious Life.’ The whole church is rejoicing for the gift of men and women in consecrated life, who from the beginning of the church has adorned it with these gifts.”

“One of the decrees of the Vatican II,” Abp. Valles says, “includes about 16 topics on the consecrated life. Such document has an appropriate renewal of religious life. From the very infancy of the church there had been men and women who strove to follow Christ more freely and imitate him more nearly…we hope and pray that the evangelical councils are practiced. The religious have led a life dedicated to God under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Many of them pursue a solitary life, and founded religious families to help the church. And so it happened through Divine Plan. It is in the scheme of Divine Plan that a wonderful variety of religious communities grew up.”

This day is organized according to Abp. Valles “to remind ourselves how great we are, how blessed we are in Davao with 48 communities.”

“The Presentation in the Temple and World Day of Consecrated Life are tied up in a special way.” He adds, “kitang tanan gi-present sa Lord…by presenting to the Lord like Jesus, we become candle to people’s lives. As religious we continue to be treasures by being inspired and become an inspiration to one another.”

“Let us continue to be inspired,” he says. Consecrated lives according to him are like candles that must be lighted, for it can never be truly a candle until it is lighted and to give life until it is gone. “Glow in the night” like the moon,” he exhorted. The light in our candles is dependent on Jesus, the light himself.