The gift of Faith

Excerpt of the Homily of Most Rev. Romulo Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao during the Priestly Ordination of Rev. Fr. Ramon Jamora, Jr. at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, La Verna Hills Subdivision.

You know very well that I can say a lot of things for this beautiful occasion but let us make it simple.

As they say, the rites themselves — its words, actions, signs and symbols, if done well, will really tell us what is happening.

But let me share just a few thoughts.

The other Monday and Tuesday, there was a meeting of bishops from the Southeast Asia of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conference in Manila. It’s huge and was divided into region so, we had a regional meeting.

I have related it before in Davao but I heard it again in that meeting.

The mission of the Church in Asia is done in the context that the Church is a tiny minority except the Philippines and East Timor.

Here in our country, the Christian Catholics is of a great majority but in the others they are just a minority.

So it is in those countries, that today, for the Church in Asia, for the Church in the Philippines, and the Church in Davao, for the parish of La Verna, it is fate that it is faith that is here.

This celebration today is the gift of our faith.

Also, in this day and age, that I would say, a young person like this, a professional, a degree holder can still think and entertain the whisperings of the Lord and the Holy Spirit.

Perhaps, I would say, it is easier in the Lord to hear the call of the Lord. So, we should thank for our gift of faith.