Parochial Fiesta Celebration of Our Lady of Assumption Parish (Part 1 of 2)

An excerpt of the homily of the Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao and CBCP President during the 61st Foundation Anniversary and Parochial Fiesta Celebration of Our Lady of Assumption Parish, F. Torres St., Davao City, August 15, 2020. (Part 1 of 2)

Why is it also the Blessed Mother was in my mind? When I was brought to the hospital I had my rosary, salamat nalang nga dili cellphone, I have my rosary. And the people found that and they keep that – I could not hold the rosary, they keep the rosary below my pillow and I would keep on saying and they would remind me Archbishop your rosary is here. May pa Birhen sa Fatima, Mary was there. I had a dream so real that I’ll be cured, I’ll be healed, restored to health, in the morning still paralyzed.

Brother and sisters I entertain that hope and believe, after all the holy Bible match many parts in dreams, let us not laugh about it “ah damgo lang na!” Mary had a dream, Joseph had a dream, and so I had a dream. And soon after within a week with good doctors, Dr. Marilyn Lim, Dr. Guerrero, Dr. Anuta and the rest of them, very good doctors. I could start moving, my toes, this one and the rest is history. I am back with you that’s why I’ll say yes to this mass honoring the Blessed Mother.

Now, always when we come together to celebrate in the Catholic tradition, what do you mean “when we celebrate”? Mostly the most beautiful celebration of faith, we do fiestas or whatever, joy and sorrows, it is always the Holy Eucharist. This memory, this assurance of God’s mercy and compassion, this assurance of God’s healing power, this assurance of what St. Paul says in the middle towards the end of the second reading “the last enemy that will be conquered will be death”. And the Eucharist, do not forget is a testimony, is a reminder that Jesus has conquered death for us, so every time we gather the Eucharist we are reminded of that.

But in the Catholic tradition also make no fun of this, do not listen to this mga komentaryo sa Catholic tradition, early on how did they keep their faith? They have a saying in the Catholic tradition the multitude of witnesses, sometimes the multitude is changed into host of witnesses. Another one would be vast clouds of witnesses, there’s the truth but also lisod kontrahon nimo, very strong witnesses to the fact that the Lord has conquered death for us.

And number one among the witnesses, number one in that list the Blessed Mother, that is why very wise ang Catholic church. Look! Ingon ka ay nakakita ko niini – ah, istorya ra man na imo, kinsa kauban nimo? Corroborating, natural na, wise ang Church. Host multitude, array cloud of witnesses, number one of that is the Blessed Virgin Mary. Very important in the early church, the first preachers of the good news that they saw the Lord. Bingo! Who saw the Lord? Who bore the Lord in her womb? The Blessed Mother. That’s why this feast, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary well interpreted, is a conclusion. By the way this feast was declared in 1950, so older than myself, am 69 – this feast is 70, correct 1950? But this feast is in relation to that we are saying yes, she is the first witness, let us complete that the church was saying.