A Celebration of the Church

(An excerpt from the Homily of Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao, September 20, 2021 during the live streamed mass of the Diaconate Ordination of Bro. Lexter Maria Caras, SDV and Bro. Jerson Maria Balili, SVD at San Isidro Labrador Parish, Cat. Grande.)

I was surprised to read lines about a profession of religious in this serious book not opinion, it is really in the guide book. This profession and ordination, like this, should not be in the chapel of the community kung mahimo gani cathedral, in the parish church.

Busa to put it an example even the SDV would have a nice big chapel but still it is a good significance, good symbol that the ordination is done in the parish church or in the cathedral like this. So very good decision because to emphasize it, really it is not an SDV occasion with due respect even in the rites, the congregation does not show, not at all.

Ang theology, ang teaching, ang meaning, ang buot ipasabot sa simbahan today the kalipay with pride, the grace is celebrated by the church. This is a day of the church, the whole church that’s why beginning pa wala moingon didto nga the SDV community would request it to ordain, Holy Mother of the church. Because ang nindot nga connection, the SDV’s do not stand alone or any congregation. The only stand is deeply, intimately, explicitly connected with the church. And that’s why, in the first place dili lang ako giimbita para sa SDV karon. I have to come kung mahimo because it’s the church celebration, ato ning tanan. The church rejoices in two young men, of course through the inspiration, grace to a particular calling to the SDV charism but to serve the church always.

So, we are truly happy, yes we are invited. Yes, we are close friends with SDV’s but ang atong kalipay come to the fact that we are church, we belong to the church and they are ours but via the SDV community. Busa Jerson and Lexter lipay mi nga naa mo sa SDV community but please know that this kalipay is ours also the whole church, nalipay sa inyong paghatag sa inyong kaugalingon karon.

Mga dagkong pagsaulog sa simbahan, kalipay ug kasakit we always put this celebration kung makaya within the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Weddings, funerals, professions, kalipay ug kasakit in the mass because Jerson and Lexter it is in the fact, the deed and also the words of Jesus in the way He presented and He did the Paschal Mystery, His Passion, Death and Resurrection is the pattern of us all. The pattern for husband and wife, the pattern may somebody dies, the pattern for a religious, the pattern for a priest, a pattern for a deacon.

Basically, this is it. That’s why we have your beautiful rites of ordination within the recalling of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus, you hear that in the gospel reading today. We heard also in the first reading that this is not only your “Yes” to the Lord but basically even if you examine yourselves Jerson and Lexter as we are we can’t really say with the big smile and confidence that “we are ready Lord”. First reading tells us, mahadlok ta but over and above this is also a manifestation of the Lord’s design for us.