Like Jesus, like Mary

Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, D.D., Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, during the installation of Bishop Ronald I. Lunas, D.D.

(Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt of the message of Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, D.D., Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, during the installation of Bishop Ronald I. Lunas, D.D., 5th bishop of Pagadian, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, on March 25, 2019.)

I would just say a small word to the new bishop following the wonderful homily that we just heard.

At the incarnation, we could say that John the evangelist and apostle said, “And the word became flesh and put his tent within us.” Today, this is your flesh, this is the place where you are incarnated; you should live this presence; love this people like Jesus loved us; serve this people as Jesus served us; sacrifice for this people as Jesus sacrificed his life for us; pray for this people as Jesus prayed for all of us, and rejoice with this people you are called to take part in the glory of the resurrection.

And to your faithful so beautiful a community, what should I say? Be like Mary and consider the Bishop like the angel. He is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; welcome him in the name of the Lord; listen to what he says in the name of the Lord, and follow what he says in the name of the Lord. Receive him with the faith that was the faith of Mary. And if you want to help him in this journey, try to be good Christians. The best consolation for a shepherd is to see that priests, religious people, mothers, fathers, young, elderly, students, workers, each one, where he is, is trying to be a good disciple that gives joy, that gives peace, that gives consolation.

And so my wish and my prayer is that taking this day, the Annunciation, as an image all of us we repeat with the “yes” of Mary, with the “yes” of the new Bishop, our own “yes” to the will of God. So we can grow as Church, as community and be a sign of hope and love for the world. May God bless you all.