‘Be humble as Jesus Christ’

By: Julit C. Jainar March 26,2016 - 10:24 PM

WASHING  OF FEET. Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma kisses the foot of Dave Deriada, Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) president and one of the ’apostles’ during the Mass of the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

WASHING OF FEET. Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma kisses the foot of Dave Deriada, Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) president and one of the ’apostles’ during the Mass of the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Martin Dave Deriada, as president of the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, has had his close encounters with Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.

But the 58-year-old lay PPC president never imagined that in the many years he served the Catholic Church in Cebu, he would be chosen as one of the lay persons whose feet would be washed by Palma  on Maundy Thursday, when the prelate reenacted the washing of the apostles’ feet during the Mass of the Last Supper held at the Cathedral.

It was a reenactment of the night prior to the death of Jesus Christ who, instead of a servant washing the feet of the disciples, which was practiced during the time of Jesus, it was Christ Himself who washed their feet.

It was Deriada’s  first time to be one of the “apostles” and said he felt blessed and honored to be among those chosen to play a part.

“I always advocate the servant-leadership, being the president of the Parish Pastoral Council. If you are a leader, you always have to be of service to others and to not dictate,” Deriada said in Cebuano.

For another “apostle,”  Cebu City traffic enforcer Archie Casinillo, 36, getting his feet washed by Palma was a humbling experience and reminded him of his role to serve the commuting public.

“Serving both the public and church is my mission in life. It is a blessing from God,” said Casinillo, a traffic enforcer for eight years assigned at General Maxilom Avenue.

“The washing of the feet is a reminder that we should forgive and serve each other,” he added.

Palma, with a white robe tied around  his waist, knelt on the floor at the center of the Cathedral facing of the altar, and began to wash and kiss the feet of each of the 12 “apostles.”

Like Deriada and Casinillo, the other other apostles were representatives of different sectors chosen to take part in the reenactment, which was staged prior to the offertory.

They were  Florentino Mauring Jr., 69, a lay minister at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral;  Fernando Mantos Jr., 53, a seaman;  Reuben Maandig, 47, a manager of a real estate company;  Brian Dwight Gaviola, 37, a councilman of Barangay Sto.Niño, Cebu City;  Ernesto Sotto, 53, bank manager;  Reynald Andales, 37, president of the lay group World Apostolic of Fatima;  Manuel Rojas, 59,  laity from the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral;  Enrico Quirante, 37, a policeman from the Cebu City Police Office; Jessie Camay, 34, public school teacher;  Rev. Giuseppe Pongase, 35, deacon, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

The washing of the feet, according to Palma,  signified that the leader, or the master,  should serve. “It should not just be the servant who will serve the master,” he stressed.

Palma, in his  homily, thanked everyone who was involved in the Archdiocese’s hosting of the 51st International Eucharist Congress held in Cebu last January.

He also reminded the people that Christ is present in our lives.

“Christ is present through the bread and wine and receiving the body of Christ is a blessing from God,” Palma added.

He urged the faithful to be humble as Jesus Christ was when he  washed His apostles’ feet.

“Let us allow Jesus to come to us so we can minister and serve each other,”  Palma said.

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TAGS: Cebu, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Good Friday, Holy Week

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