CEBU CITY, Philippines — An OPM love song performed during a mass in Surigao City is melting hearts online.
This isn’t because of a wedding, where love songs are often played as the bride walks down the aisle to meet her groom at the altar.
Instead, a part of Bisaya singer-composer TJ Monterde’s song “Palagi” was sung during the homily last Sunday, November 24, at the San Nicolas Cathedral in Surigao City.
The mass presider and homilist, popularly known as Father Tiu in the community, asked the churchgoers to sing a specific part of the trending love song:
“Ngunit sa huli, palagi. Babalik pa rin sa yakap Mo. Hanggan’g sa huli, palagi. Pipillin ko’ng maging Sayo.”
This excerpt became the centerpiece of his homily.
The song, which is recently trending, is part of the soundtrack of the movie “Hello, Love, Again,” starring Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards.
A TikTok video of the moment, uploaded by Bhere Malbas, has drawn attention to how the song can also be interpreted as a praise song.
“The homily is related lang po kasi sa song na Palagi. Which is kahit na may sala tayo or may mga wrong doings tayo dito parin si Lord for us palagi he didn’t abandon us. Kaya kay Lord tayo babalik at babalik palagi,” she told CDN Digital.
READ: KZ Tandingan, TJ Monterde nagpakasal og usab; karon kuyog na ang ilang mga ginikanan
While the gesture has sparked mixed reactions online, many netizens expressed their appreciation for Father Tiu’s creativity in connecting faith to a popular love song.
“Father Tiu’s use of TJ Monterde’s popular song, “Palagi,” during his homily was a brilliant example of how faith can be expressed creatively and accessibly. The song’s message of unwavering love and acceptance, even amidst mistakes, perfectly aligns with the core Christian message of God’s unconditional love. This relatability, combined with the song’s emotional power, created a deeply moving experience for the congregation, demonstrating that faith can be expressed in many engaging ways!,”commented one netizen.
As of Tuesday, November 26, the video has been shared 2,200 times and has garnered 272,900 views.
They say music speaks when words cannot. This moment is a perfect example of how music and faith can intertwine beautifully. /clorenciana