Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma officiates a Misa de Gallo at the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Pedro Calungsod on Tuesday, December 17, 2019. CDN Digital photo | Gerard Vincent Francisco
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Seek Christ amidst imperfections in one’s self, family, or community.
This was the message of Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma on the second day of the nine-day dawn novena masses or Misa de Gallo, which he officiated at the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Pedro Calungsod in Cebu City on Tuesday, December 17, 2019.
Read: Cebu Archbishop Palma says Misa de gallo celebrated in Vatican is a source of pride
In the prelate’s homily, he highlighted the day’s gospel from the book of Mathew on the Genealogy of Jesus from Abraham to Joseph of Nazareth, composed of 42 generations.
He said that in the 42 ancestors of Jesus Christ, many of the members, including its women, showed imperfections. It is in this imperfect family that the Messiah was born.
Palma urged the faithful to reflect on this gospel in the modern times, with families struggling with issues such as separation, domestic violence, and poverty.
He further likened the imperfection of Jesus’ family tree to the imperfection of the community, especially in the predominantly Catholic Philippines, where in spite of the strong faith, drug-abuse and crimes are still rampant.
“Just like how Jesus was born into an imperfect family, we are all imperfect,” said the archbishop.
Watch the full mass here:
“We need the Lord because if you look around us, daghang naa prisohan, sa rehab center, mga street children (there are many prisoners, rehabilitation patients, and street children). This is an imperfect society, We need the Lord this Christmas,” he added.
Palma encouraged he faithful to reflect on life’s imperfection this Christmas, especially during the nine-day dawn novena masses.
He urged them to look beyond imperfection and seek Christ even in the hardest of times.
“Thank God if your family is near perfect. If it is not, then you will see the meaning of Christmas,” said the prelate.
Palma officiated his first dawn mass this year at the Carbon Public Market on Monday, December 16. He will celebrate his third Misa de Gallo at the San Pedro Calungsod Parish in Barangay Pulangbato in Cebu City on December 18, 2019.
IN PHOTOS (with video): Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma officiates Misa de Gallo at Carbon Public Market
Afterwards, he will be going southern Cebu towns of Dalaguete and Alegria. /bmjo