Jesus, the source of our joy

(An excerpt of the homily of the Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., during Launching of the 5th Archdiocesan Marian Exhibit at NCCC VP Mall, May 5, 2024.)

Niingon ang atong theme: Journeying with Mary. The theme in this 6th Sunday of Easter ang pinakadako nga tema mao ang joy, happiness. Now therefore we ask, “Journeying with Mary”, we’re very sure that we journey with her, with Mary, leading us to joy. But then we ask, if she accompany with us, if we journey with her, who is that joy? Klaro if we anticipate the answer, the joy is the Lord Himself. But not only that, this Sunday, it is the Lord, He is the true source of joy because Jesus is the love of God.

In the second reading, God is love and in my own words He made us understand, He makes us see and feel, and experience by sending to us his Son, Jesus. Furthermore, what is this sending of his Son Jesus to us? Concretely, experiential, Jesus walked with us here on earth, experiencing almost everything: joys and sorrows and even the terrible fate on the cross. He revealed His Son on our worst enemy who is death and on the 3rd day he conquered death. That’s how God loves us, that’s why joyful because we come to know and experience that love in Jesus and always a victorious love.

Mao ng mokomentaryo ko Fr. Ritsche, kanang title ni Mary na “Our Lady of Sorrows” pangkalibutan ra na siya na title. Pero dili nako motawag niya nga Our Lady of Sorrows sa langit, pang comfort ra nato na she knows sa kasakit ning kalibutana but temporary ra na na title. I think ang mas higher niya “Our Lady of Joy”, “Our Lady of Happiness”, “Queen of Heaven” siya. So, Mary accompanies us to the joy which is Christ Himself, the love of the Father sent to us, but then again, He was sent to us more than death, it was passion, death and resurrection. And He said to be joyful, remain in My love, be connected with My love, remain with those who love Me, remain in the vine because you are the branches.

But today as we celebrate the 6th Sunday of Easter and the Launching of the 5th Archdiocesan Marian Exhibit, I think we have many reasons to articulate this joy. Jesus tells us in the Gospel, number one: I’m telling all of this to you so that your joy may be complete. A kind of warning that we can be deceived by shallow joy but he said so that your joy may be complete. Our joys on earth may turn sour, diluted, mga panahong moingon ta nga “Ay abi nakog pinangga sa Ginoo”, so that your joy may be complete. A joy, a faith that is rooted in the victory of Christ. I’m telling you this so that you may connect your joy, your dream kana unta founded, connected in the love of the Lord.

Pag adunay kamatayon mawala na ang kalipay? A joy is complete, it will continue because we are convinced, we have been nurtured, we were formed to entrust ourselves in Jesus who is our resurrection. Joy can only be complete, can be perfect if the joy is always connected with Jesus, founded by Jesus, sourced out of Jesus and the Blessed Mother will always bring us closer to Jesus.