Fiesta lights and shadows

The weekend’s Fiesta Señor and Sinulog grand parade once again affirmed the deep devotion of the Cebuanos to the Holy Child Jesus.

Nearly three million devotees walked Cebu City’s streets in Saturday’s solemn procession while at least four million watched Sunday’s street dance.

The crowds who saw suspended governor Gwendolyn Garcia dance at the Cebu City Sports Center appreciated her as a venerator of the Christ Child.

True to her word, Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale did nothing to stop Garcia from returning to the provincial Capitol building.

These bits of politics news indicate that conflict among leaders does not have to be devoid of decorum.

The people’s demonstration of faith, meanwhile, is a seed of change, which, as the saying goes, does not happen overnight.

Still, the need for a change of heart is urgent, as implied in the homily of Palo Archbishop John Du, who led Saturday’s pontifical Mass and hour-long prayer dance at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.

Du urged the faithful to outgrow the faith that simply asks God for benefits and achieve one that also contributes to and is able to sacrifice for the family and society.

The archbishop said children should outgrow the habit of depending on their parents and do their share to give back to them.

He called for solidarity with the children of broken families and exhorted husbands and wives to be faithful to each other.

For Catholics, the call was timely in the face of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte’s vision of divorce being legalized in the Philippines.

(House Bill 1799, “An Act Introducing Divorce in the Philippines,” was introduced in the Lower House last year.)

Catholic bishops and those who are faithful to them need to brace themselves for a looming clash with “Caesar,” Vatican-speak for the State.

While push is still coming to shove, the faithful need conversion on several seemingly minor but significant fronts in terms of sharing their faith in public on occasions like Fiesta Señor and Sinulog.

Big religious events ought not to be a source of tons of garbage in our thoroughfares. But as Sinulog day progressed, litter accumulated on the streets.

That, amid a celebration to honor the Holy Child, ran counter to the Gospel’s invitation to care for the earth.

Spectators jostled with each other for space on P. Del Rosario Street, not thinking that their neighbors might get crushed in their desire to pass through or get a better view of the parade.

That is no live translation of “Love your neighbor.”

Worse, this behavior could be observed Saturday as devotees pushed and shoved and climbed over railings to get a spot inside the basilica’s pilgrim center.

Of course, event organizers must do more to make parades and processions convenient fare for devotees (the latter, for instance, should at least be informed when the gates to the church open during and after the procession so they do not get agitated), but this is no excuse to get rowdy.

Rowdiness, flaring tempers and near-stampedes have no place in popular piety.