Bring love to poor, Tagle urges
BLESSING RITES Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, sprinkles holy water on palm fronds during the celebration of Palm Sunday at the newly renovated Manila Cathedral in Intramuros,Manila. RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines—Don’t let inconveniences and good offers tempt you to forget God’s love. Accept Jesus this Holy Week by bringing His love to the poor, the oppressed and suffering, especially the victims of natural disasters that hit the country last year.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, made these reminders to the faithful on Sunday as Catholics across the world flocked to churches to have their palm fronds blessed in celebration of Palm Sunday, which ushers in the Holy Week.
“I think we all agree that the Passion of Christ is a story of love. It is a story of the greatest love that the world has known. We are invited today to accept His love, follow this love [and] follow our Redeemer in the way he loved,” Tagle said during a Mass he celebrated Sunday at Manila Cathedral.
Also known as Passion Sunday, the celebration commemorated Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem a few days before His crucifixion, riding a donkey into the Holy City where crowds welcomed Him with palm fronds.
Opening hearts
Article continues after this advertisementTagle hoped that the symbolic ritual—the waving and blessing of palm branches—welcomed and opened the hearts of the people for Jesus.
Article continues after this advertisementIt was his first time to celebrate Palm Sunday at the country’s premier church in Intramuros since he was appointed to the helm of the Manila Archdiocese in December 2011.
The Manila Cathedral reopened on April 9 after it was closed to the public in February 2012 to make way for major repairs and restoration.
In his homily, Tagle urged the faithful to emulate Christ’s example in not allowing inconvenience to deter him from following and loving God unconditionally.
As people face their daily lives, they encounter “many inconveniences and offers” that might lure them to abandon obedience to God, he said.
“If we are not careful, we might give up Jesus for these offers,” he warned, adding that if one would prioritize one’s conveniences and desires, it was easy for one to forget God.
Solidarity with poor
While Jesus’ love for mankind was beyond human understanding, one can follow His example by showing solidarity with the poor, the lost and confused, Tagle said.
“We have so many neighbors who are longing for love. Like Jesus, go to them, assure them that they are not alone,” Tagle said.
“[Let us go] to our brothers and sisters still suffering in Zamboanga, Bohol, Samar, Leyte, Capiz, Aklan, Iloilo, Palawan and Cebu,” he said, referring to the provinces that were hit by a powerful earthquake and by Super Typhoon Yolanda last year.
To make Holy Week more meaningful, Tagle encouraged the faithful to empathize with and show compassion to the people living on the streets, to those enduring pain because they cannot access health services, and the women enduring betrayal and abuse.
“To workers who don’t get the respect and the just wages they deserve, to these people, let us be the heart of Jesus telling them and assuring them that even if others have left and forgotten you, I am here and I bring you the love of Jesus,” he said.
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