Viva San Pedro, Viva San Pablo

Excerpts from Archbishop Romulo G. Valles’ homily during the Solemnity of Saints Peter & Paul and the 170th Parochial Fiesta of San Pedro Cathedral last June 29, 2018 @ San Pedro Cathedral, San Pedro St., Davao City.

Viva San Pedro. Viva San Pablo. Viva! Happy Fiesta!

Today is also designated as Pope’s day. First thought is for us to pray for the Holy Father, your Bishops who are successors of the Apostles. It is not honor, it is not even authority, it is not prestige but please pray for the Holy Father, your Bishops and by extension in the leadership, Priests… because somehow today, 2018, in the present age, we continue to come across you, amongst you as successors of the Apostles… great, difficult, mission and responsibility, so please pray for us. And if I may add, please pray for your Bishops and Priests in the Philippines these days. We need your prayers.

…grant we pray that your Church may in all things follow the teaching of those through whom she receives the beginnings of right religion. The beginning of the Church, the Apostles, the early Christian community. So we pray today for the Holy father, Bishops and Priests. Grant us we pray, noble and holy joy of this day.

…the readings of today, remind us of one reality as we continue today to follow the teachings of right religion. First and foremost, we put our trust, our faith and confidence of eternal life into the hands of the Lord Jesus and His Church, we continue to live that but as today, the readings would tell us one thing; that the community of the followers of Jesus, the community that Saints Peter and Paul nurtured, together with their collaborator, the other Apostles and other early Saints. Since day one, that community, our Church is always existing was and is in an uneasy way in this world. We are reminded that the Church will always be uncomfortable in this world. What comes to mind is that line of St. John: “You are in this world but you are not of this world” Nia ta dinhi pero dili ta taga dinhi, a great reminder and reality.

The liturgy, our prayer, the readings from the scriptures, assure us of God’s abiding presence with us and for us… Never mind if you right away find that you are very uneasy doing the work of preaching the gospel, I will be with you, the forces against the Church will not prevail. That’s a very warming assurance from the gospel today.

In the end, we should always be like the Apostles; persevering, humble and always there being into one and all. Always a person of mercy, compassion, reconciliation and love for each and every one. That’s our project, that’s our challenge today as Bishops, as Priests and all of us to be truly Christ the merciful, understanding, forgiving and compassionate to all of our brothers and sisters today.