A symbol for us

(An excerpt from the Homily of Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao, June 28, 2021 during the live streamed mass of the 41st Anniversary of the Dedication of the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Pedro.)

San Pedro Cathedral is a symbol for us in Davao of the Mother Church and it is dedicated no less among the many saints dedicated to St. Peter. The first among equals of the apostles upon you according to the gospel, I will build up my Church. This church is a symbol of the divine, of the will of God, the power of God on human grounds. I will make you a rock Peter and upon you I will build my church.

You see my dear friends, the first reading today, old testament if you noticed that ang temple ni Solomon so grandiose, so beautiful. Even you examine the scripture in the bible talagsaon nga edifies that’s why the salmo responsoryo that you sung “your dwelling place oh Lord”, beautiful music. That’s a salmo dedicated to praising, pagdayeg sa building sa temple but that temple of Solomon gone, destroyed in year 70 A.D. Holy of holies, the holy place for the Jews but it’s holiness depend on their recalling of God’s goodness, God’s covenant, God’s faithfulness. And every time in the temple that is refreshed, renewed by the blood of animals, di ba makabati ta, cattle, ox, goats, sheep. Ang blood fresh iwisik sa holy of hollies ug sa mga tawo, blood is symbol of sacredness. Intawon as good as beautiful it was, blood of animals, there’s a new temple, more than the temple of Solomon.

And slowly the early believers, slowly they understood it because in this new temple, it is so beautiful when that temple is there with the blood not of animals, not of goats and lambs but with the blood of Jesus. And it is so beautiful this new temple for us because that Jesus, our Savior does not only dwell here in this place, in this altar but he dwells in our hearts.

This San Pedro Cathedral is made holy when we come together, were so essential in this temple, in this church, in this Cathedral because palangga kita sa Dios. He wants to dwell in our hearts and to show that love for us again and again that eternal sacrifice of Jesus, his body and blood on the Cross is renewed in the altar of this cathedral. And salamat sa Dios, beautiful, we offer, we dedicate this Cathedral to the first among His apostles, San Pedro Apostol.