Praying with the Style of the Saints

(An excerpt of the homily of the Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., during the Opening Mass of the Gallery of Saints Year 5 at NCCC Mall VP, J.P. Laurel Ave., Davao City.)

Today we ask together, how did they pray? Unsa ilang style sa pag pray? Sila ang atong instructors sa kanang content creator sa prayer dili kita kay luoy ta.

So karon we ask unsa ang ilang style sa praying dili equal, tungod kay mangopya ta nila. So mangopya ta kay sila man ang matod sa prayer sa Simbahan, the multitude of witnesses, multitude of kopyahanan, multitude of models, so we look at them siguro nga makapasar kita sa final exam for this year, we grow in our faith. Daghang mga saints, 47 ingon ni Fr. Ritsche pero ang usa ka saint nag double ang image si St. John Paul II pero ingon ni Fr. Ritsche growing sila. Now kung moingon ta lain-lain ang ilang color sa praying pero today in this liturgy, in this Sunday liturgy I believe that thought in the liturgy a common ingredient in their prayer, “not ours.” And therefore, I would dare to say, let us examine our way of praying and adjust to what the saints sa ilang style of praying, to what is taught in the liturgy today.

So, mao ni ang topic kumbaga “Praying together with the saints.” Sila ang example so we look up to them unsa ang style sa ilang praying. And to start with that question, we prayed at the beginning of the Mass. Almighty and merciful God, graciously mu add pako insertion ba, with the help of the saints keep from us all adversity, keep from us all the babag, mga obstacles, ipalayo. For what purpose? So that unhindered in mind and body alike, naay mga hindrances, naay mga babag, mga distractions, mga way labot sa agenda naa sa atong mind and heart maong ang prayer nato karon unhindered, clean slate unta pure, kung radyo pa walay interference. Unhindered in mind and heart we may pursue in freedom of heart, pure of heart, the things that are Yours.

Bantayan na naay twist ha, ana man ang usual, ato manang prayer, we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are ours. Ang atong gipangayo sa Ginoo ba. Daghan kaayon San Miguel tabangi tawon ko akong arthritis, ang akong utang, ours. Wala man niingon ang pag-ampo nga “ours” kondili we may pursue the things that are Yours. When we pray with the saints, ang dakong hagit, we may discover and long for number 1 sa agenda the things that are God’s.  But today I think there is one single thing that the saints would really help us together with the 47 array of witnesses, one important element. As we pray with the saints to God, we have an answer today of a basic question. When we pray to God, kaila ba ta sa iyang nature? Ma gets ba nato [siya]?