Palma: Resurrected Christ will bring light to this dark world
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma delivers his homily for the Easter Vigil Mass on April 3, 2021.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Jesus Christ is the light that will end the darkness to this world, so hold on in faith.
This was the reminder of Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma in his homily for the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday evening, April 3, 2021, Black Saturday.
The prelate said that with Easter Sunday coming, this is another reminder of hope amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has dragged on for over a year.
After recovering from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) himself, the archbishop lamented the deaths of many people and the ever increasing number of COVID-19 cases every day.
He has been receiving increasing text messages asking for prayers for their sick family members, and sadly including prayers for those who did not survive the virus.
Although the world seems dark at this moment, Palma urged the faithful to hold on. He likened the condition of the world today to the darkness of the church during the start of Easter Vigil Mass before the blessing of the fire, and upon the entry of the Easter candle, light dominates the darkness.
The archbishop encouraged the faithful to continue on amid the dark and pray that the Resurrected Lord be their guide amid the dark times so they can find the light of Christ inside them.
“We proclaim nga bisan pa dunay kangitngit, kining Kristo nga Nabanhaw modaog sa kangitngit. His light is enough to lead us through kaning kangitngit sa kalibutan. Mao kini ang kamatuoran sa atong pagtuo, Jesus is the Light of the World,” said the prelate.
(We proclaim that despite the darkness, this resurrected Christ will win against the darkness. His light is enough to lead us through this darkness of the world. This is the truth of our faith, Jesus is the Light of the World.)
In his homily, Palma also reminded the faithful that the launching of the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines will push through on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021, through regulated means.
He expressed gratitude to the local government units (LGUs) in Cebu for having taken control of the COVID-19 situation in the past year allowing the Church to push through with the planned activities for the Quincentennial celebrations in Cebu.
He said that Cebu had been blessed to have the COVID-19 situation much improved than before, a condition that could not be said to some part of the country that had remained under strict lockdown or quarantine bubble today.
As people will have to celebrate Easter Sunday again in their homes, Palma said they should not despair and they should rejoice for the Risen Christ.
He said that just like the Risen Christ, Cebu and the entire country would rise up from this global pandemic eventually.
/dbs
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