Priests lie prone on the floor as a sign of complete submission to the Lord during the veneration of the cross on Good Friday at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral where the Seven Last Words , a series of reflections, were given.
Three lay persons joined priests in sharing their reflections of the Seven Last Words on Good Friday at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.
The laity should take part in evangelization and social transformation as they belong to the church as much as priests or bishops, said Fr. Ruben Labajo, team moderator of the Cathedral, in his opening remarks.
He said there are only 9,040 priests ministering to the needs of 76.18 million Catholics in the country or a ratio of one priest to 8,500 lay persons.
Reflections
“It is in unity that good Christian people will attain strength and victory,” Labajo said.
This year was the first time the Cebu Archdiocese invited lay persons to give their reflections on the last words of Jesus Christ on Good Friday.
They were Carmelita Dulangon, Regional Director of the Department of Education; Retired Asst. Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago; and pastoral worker Manolito Ardimer of the Basic Ecclesial Communities.
The new format was in line with the church’s celebration of the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines with the theme: “The Filipino Laity: Called to be saints; send forth as heroes.”
On Jesus’ first words, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” Rev. Fr. Leonilo Igloria talked about forgiving others.
The reason one finds it hard to forgive, he said, is one’s feeble faith in God.
It takes love for God to forgive others same as Jesus who forgave everyone because He loves them.
Temptation of corruption
On the second words, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise,” Palanca-Santiago, a widow, addressed public servants who are tempted by money.
She said they should put God in the center to avoid the temptation of corruption.
Reflecting on the third words “Woman, behold your son; Son behold your mother,” Dulangon of the education department talked about the need to be grateful for mothers and the need to love others.
She said to help others, especially victims of fire and children in need, one must expect nothing in return.
Dulangon also reminded children to express their love to their parents and ask forgiveness for their faults.
Sensitive
On Jesus’ fourth word, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Rev. Msgr. Daniel Sanico pointed to the power of the laity and how they should be aware and sensitive to the needs of others.
Msgr. Sanico also said a strong nation can be achieved through a prayerful and faithful laity with the use of modern technology.
On his reflection on the fifth words, “I thirst,” Fr. Socrates Saldua talked about thirst for one another’s love and attention and giving importance to those in need.
He said people nowadays tend to be self-centered.
Reflecting of the sixth words “It is finished,” Ardimier talked about church activities, which the laity like him can participate such as in the Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC). On the seventh words, “Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit,” Fr. Carmelo Diola said that when one entrusts his life to the Father, he will never fail.
He also talked about reaching out to the poor and that there is so much to learn from them. He said the laity has the rightful role as instruments in the frontline for social change and they shouldn’t be content to play second fiddle to the priests in other dimensions of the church’s life. /Irish Maika R. Lam and Kent A. Ugalde, Xavier University Interns