‘You are sacred’

Excerpts from the homily

Ang Hunyo 23 mao ang Solemnidad sa Balaang Kasingkasing ni Hesus. Nagsaulog niining adlawa ang Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Obrero sa iyang ika-48 nga kapistahan.

Si Abp. Valles gisugdan ang misa sa pagpahinumdum sa katawhan nga daghan ang angay ikapasalamat sa kasaulogan. Gibalikan sad niya ang kasaysayan sa parokya labi na ang mga unang pari nga si Fr. Lu ug Fr. Han.

“When I see Fr. Han, I would associate him with Fr. Lu, missionaries from PME community from China. Lo and behold they served us wonderfully that we still remember their names today. We thank them especially Fr. Lu who made this community alive as the first parish priest of Obrero,” matud niya.

Iya pung gidayeg ang kadaghan sa mga altar servers. “The parish has a lot of facets but I take notice of these boys, mga future seminarians,” sumala niya.

Sa iyang wali gikan sa Ebanghelyo ni San Mateo nga gibasa ni Fr. Cris Alcayde, “That Sacred Heart of Jesus is the same as Jesus, Corpus Christi, the same but may flavors. We cannot contain it in one statement. The mystery of the Lord’s incarnation that we can take it one at a time, bit by bit. The same Jesus, we have this aura. Jesus is our Sacred Heart. Mao ni atong pista.”

“Two times I attended very solemn and prestigious awards of Ateneo de Manila. Hapit na ang feast ni St. Ignatius in July. Ang award is a carving of Sacred Heart of Jesus, a replica made by Rizal. Kada tuig mao na ilang ginahatag for award for service. Hinaut nga that heart of Jesus will be ours, like Rizal, to love our country so much, to serve and love our parish, our country. Mao nay challenge. Maybe Rizal was touched by the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the same heart was burning for the country. May our hearts be touched by Jesus with so many concern with the well-being of the Filipino nation, to our parish, to our small community,” dugang ni Abp. Valles.

“It is a kind of refreshing ourselves that we celebrate today. Gihukad sa atoa ang readings of the scriptures. First reading is from the 3rd book of Old Testament. It tells us the heart of Jesus already revealed to God’s people centuries before Jesus came. Moses said to the people, you are a people, sacred to the Lord your God. He has chosen you from all the nations on the face of the earth. Pinili. This is a kind of review in the past.”

Pagkanindot kuno sa ikaduhang pagbasa nga nag ingon nga ania na kanato ang Ginoo nga natawo nga si Hesus. The middle reading says, “Beloved, let us love one another…”

Nibisita kuno siya sa mga nipanaw na nga mga obispo. “How can you understand the heart of God?” Dili man daw nato masabtan ang tanang kaguol, apan magpabilin ang gugma sa Ginoo.

Sa Ebanghelyo, it is good to realize that in the scheme of things, we are children with a loving Father, with a Lord. We thank God with a gift of faith. Allow the presence of Jesus in our hearts. Realistic si Jesus. Niingon siya,”Come to me and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart; for my yoke is easy and my burden light.”

“We believe that all our yokes will be easy, that as we continue to carry our cross it may be light and easy by Jesus. We will reach the kingdom of God, of joy, of peace! Viva Jesus, Viva!,” panapos niya.