Archbishop Jose Palma (left) blesses the palms brought by churchgoers, who attended yesterday’s Palm Sunday Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. At right, Palma enters the Cebu Cathedral to celebrate Mass. (CDN PHOTO/SAMMY NAVAJA)
Archbishop Palma celebrates Palm Sunday Mass, calls on faithful to reflect, repent, keep the faith
Archbishop Jose Palma encouraged the faithful to be more reflective especially during the Holy Week.
Palma, who officiated yesterday’s Palm Sunday Mass marking the start of the Holy Week at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, also called on the faithful to open their hearts and to gaze upon the mercy of God.
“Sa pagpalandong ilawom sa ebanghelyo, sa atong paglantaw (We should reflect on the Bible, we should open our minds and hearts),” he said.
Bishop Palma said during his homily that it is only by opening our hearts, especially during the Holy Week, that we accept God’s love, that we let him live among us.
Palma also reminded the faithful to remain humble and to confess their sins.
“We should make at least a general confession in order to repent,” he said.
“It is through this that we can accept God’s grace and it is also through the repentance of our sins that we show our love to God, our unwavering faith that we will follow him even up to the cross,” he said.
(CDN PHOTO/SAMMY NAVAJA)
“Matud pa ni Pope Francis, mao ni ang gugma (Pope Francis said, this is love),” Palma said. “Kung kita nahigugma (If we are in love), we are willing to sacrifice.”
He also encouraged everyone to keep the faith even through setbacks because God will always triumph in his own time.
Archbishop Palma ended his homily by calling out everyone to be sincere in their faith, to be grateful of God’s love and to realize that it is through the grace of God that we become more merciful and that because of this we become witness to the Eucharist.
Palm Sunday is a Christian feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter.
It ushers in the Holy Week, considered the most solemn and holy period in the church’s liturgical calendar. It is the time when Christians relive the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago.
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