Commenting on James 2:19 ("You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”), the late Fr Guillermo Tejon, OP explained that demons shudder because they do not have hope.
How about us? In a society characterized by power, prestige, perversion, and pleasure, not fitting into these could make us an outcast. In a culture that glorifies success, the idea of failure is totally unacceptable. In a lifestyle that is presumptuous, the thought of God’s mercy is unthinkable. In all situations, we could easily be tempted to lose hope.
If we are losing hope, the Crucified Jesus beckons us to return to Calvary and see for ourselves how He, despite His predicament, stayed confident to His Father and focused on His Passion and Death leading to His Resurrection.
United with Mary, Mother of Sorrows, let us then humble our hearts and be refreshed with the hope-ful Seven Last Words of Christ. Remember, “Hope does not disappoint”. (Rm 5:5).
"Forgive them, Father, they don't know what they are doing."
by Ginger Nepomuceno
Forgive. Borrowing a common term from the Millenials, Wow! Big word…
Forgiveness is indeed a big word in this day and age, where social media tells you to let go of people that destroy your inner peace. How can one fully forgive and do self-love at the same time? How do you strike that balance? Truly forgiving wrongdoing is one of the hardest things to do in this lifetime. I know it for a fact because I experienced it, am experiencing it and for sure will continue to experience it.
Let me tell you a personal story.
It was May 2020. Yes, this happened during COVID-19 darkest era. Face masks on. Enhanced Community Quarantine. Strict checkpoints. Barangay and Military presence. Nobody leaves the house without the community pass. If you live in a village, deafening silence is the 24X7 norm.
Our household got COVID and following the protocols, we were home quarantined for 14 days. We were not allowed to go anywhere. There were round the clock checks with the barangay and health workers. Aside from aiming to be well, we had to survive day by day with no help from the outside world.
The first 2 days went fine. Household taking the Vitamin C and meds. We were eating whatever was left in the fridge since no one was allowed to leave the house. We were at the mercy of our Barangay for food which unfortunately did not come our way. Constant communication with the barangay and health workers was a must.
The first five days were done quietly as expected.
Succeeding days took a turn for the worse. We began receiving complaints from the neighborhood. They claimed that we were breaking protocols. We leave the house. We cough outside our house. We spit on our roads. The rest of the days felt like hell. The neighborhood pounded on the barangay to make us leave the premises. What was worse, one late night, a group of men threw rocks at our house and broke our roof and gates.
And on Day Nine, men in military uniform accompanied by the Barangay workers came to the house to collect us because of the never-ending badgering of our neighbors. None of their reported misbehaviors ever happened. We were accused falsely and things got out of control, perhaps out of fear that they would contract covid.
It was our form of crucifixion. Personally, I felt betrayed, insulted and very angry. They were our neighbors for 17 years. How could they treat us this way?
Being wrongly accused is hurtful but being treated wrongly is even more hurtful.
I could not utter Jesus Christ's word, “Forgive them Father for they do not know what they are doing”. Oh how I abhorred them. I wish I could be an inch of Jesus Christ that time. But I am only human. Pain got the best of me.
From then on, I walked away from my neighbors. I have cut my ties, in all aspects. I lived in the village as if they did not exist. Year after year, I carried the burden. I could not let go of the hatred. I fervently prayed day in and out, Lord, please teach me to forgive and move forward. I couldn’t do it on my own, no matter how hard I try. There were days it felt God answered my prayer, but more days were spent with my rhetoric and reliving the pain.
Fast forward to Year 2025, has anything changed? Yes indeed. God helped me to forgive. Time heals all wounds.
This year’s Catholic Jubilee theme is “Pilgrims of Hope”. Allow me to utter this: Hope lives. And it all starts with forgiveness. My story is a testament not only to the agony of injustice but also the profound struggle of forgiveness. It’s a testament to one’s strength and vulnerability on forgiveness after experiencing an ordeal.
Forgiveness often feels like an uphill climb, especially when the wounds are fresh, and the injustice leaves scars. It’s important to remember that forgiveness isn’t about absolving others of their actions or condoning wrongdoing. It’s about freeing yourself from the chains of anger and bitterness that can weigh heavily on your heart. It’s an act of self-love, in its truest sense, because you allow yourself the peace you deserve.
Striking the balance between forgiveness and self-love means prioritizing your own healing first. It’s okay to set boundaries with those who’ve wronged you. It doesn’t mean you’re unkind or unforgiving. It means you’re valuing your emotional well-being.
Forgiveness is a process, not an event, and it’s perfectly fine to take time to get there. May my story remind you of the resilience of the human spirit. If it helps, perhaps forgiveness can also be reframed as an act for you, not for those who hurt you. Start small—acknowledge the hurt, be kind to yourself, and embrace the idea that you’re worthy of emotional freedom.
Have you been shamed? Have you been mistreated? How did God help you break from the chain of pain, anger and mistrust? And lastly, how does it feel after forgiving? Seal that triumphant feeling of letting go so when life gives you another curb, remember that triumphant feeling.
Perhaps my story resonates to your heart. Perhaps this is something new to you and you may one day need to forgive. One thing is certain, Jesus Christ showed us the genuine way to forgiveness.
Prayer:
Forgive them Father for they do not know what they are doing. Forgive me Father that I carried the pain on my own for years. Forgive us Father that we cannot easily forgive the way you do.
Lord, teach us the act of forgiveness when it is so hard to forgive. Amen.
Ginger Nepomuceno is currently working in an Information Technology company. When time permits, she attends The Feast – Bellevue Alabang, PM session. She has been a Tuloy sa Don Bosco Volunteer since 2004.
"I promise you that today you will be in Paradise with me."
by: Mark Peji
A retrospective of Jesus’ days of agony and crucifixion in a “place of the skull” (Golgotha).
Jesus was crucified along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. One of the criminals hurled at him with bitter sarcasm: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the second criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”. Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, my life was changed practically overnight. Health scare, financial worries, extreme pain from the loss of my loved ones, fear of the future and fear of not knowing whether I can still cope with that future. It was a perfect storm that ultimately tested my faith. I was exceptionally spiritually dry. My spiritual life was in a rut. I knew I loved God but had lost a sense of being “in love” with God. I sinned, confessed, then I sinned again, an incessant cycle. I felt emptiness and weariness. God was very distant. Finally, one day, when I was struggling to pray, I stumbled upon these verses:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” (John 7:37)
I felt shame but also relief. I cried. God had not abandoned me. He was with me in silence throughout.
My experience conveyed the same message as what was demonstrated by the second criminal. No one is too far gone to where they cannot respond to the Gospel’s message. It does not matter who you are and what you have done. It does not matter how far down the road of sin you have gone. Jesus is just waiting and ready to reach out His hand. It is never too late to repent and offer your life to Him. God always respond to a heart of repentance.
But how about when I eventually face my death? Will I still see myself through the eyes of the second criminal? Am I flinging in pride and arrogance, or am I responding in faith? They say people die differently. Some die calmly; some anxiously. Some are assured, some fearful. Some are pleased, and some are enraged. People live differently, and how they live will likely determine how they die. I don’t know when my time is up, but I know death is inevitable. I can only pray fervently that I continue to live in Christ so that in the end, I have no fear in the death of the flesh, and I can gratefully utter that I’m going back to my God - the God of salvation like the second criminal. Life is precious! We only live once and we cannot watch it again. One day, all of us will eat our last meal, hug our family for the last time, and take our last breath. May we always live in Christ and hold on to His promise to be with Him in paradise.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, our Lord and Savior,
Today, I ask for your forgiveness and surrender to You all my anxieties. Help me to let go of my worries and trust that You have an excellent plan for my life. Please grant me the strength and courage to face my fears and challenges. Let me find peace in my thoughts and deeds. Lord, I take refuge in You. Fill me fresh with Your Spirit.
In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.
Mark Peji is an IT Professional for a consumer goods manufacturing company in Melbourne. He loves watching concerts, travelling, hiking, and playing badminton and tennis in his spare time.
On the way to His death on the cross, Jesus took a moment to entrust John to Mary and Mary to John. He was not only fulfilling his duty as a son but also creating a new family, one that goes beyond blood. Jesus showed us the breadth and depth of a child's love for their mother right then and there.
A mother's love for her child is absolute, but a child's love for their mother is endless. I am privileged to witness this every day as a mother of two: a five-year-old girl and a six-month-old boy. No matter how flawed, sinful, and weary I am, their love is pure and constant, much like Jesus' love for his mother.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life. I resigned from my dream job—one that had been my purpose for over six years—to be a full-time wife and mother to my daughter, who was born prematurely. A few days later, the lockdowns began. At first, I was sure I made the right choice. But as my bank account slowly drained and we remained isolated in our condo, away from family, doubt and despair crept in. I felt useless. I lost interest in eating. I’d rather not take a bath. I dreaded sleep because waking up felt unbearable. One night, I finally admitted to my husband: "I think I might be depressed."
On my 32nd birthday—nearly the same age Jesus was when He died—I used what little money I had from reselling products to consult with a psychologist. Sitting in our parked car, drenched in sweat, she told me, "Mommy, you love your child so much; you forgot that you need to love yourself, too."
That's when it hit me: I had to be well. With my doctor's advice, I started showing love to myself. I didn’t skip showers. I enjoyed eating again. I moved and got the daily dose of sunlight that I needed. But more importantly, I strengthened my support system. I couldn't afford another session, and I didn't want to burden my husband, so I had to turn to something else—something greater. I reconnected with three college friends who are fellow mothers, and we began holding Bible study sessions every week. To this day, our Zoom meetings are my therapy sessions. My daughter became my sun, and Jesus became my life.
Reflecting on Jesus' words to Mary and John, I think about what Mary must have felt. Did she feel helpless about Jesus' impending death? Did she feel betrayed that her obedience led to this? Mary raised, nurtured, and loved Jesus as her own, only to be taken away from her. And yet, Jesus saw her. He didn't let her endure the pain alone. He gave her a son who would care for her, just as He gave me people to support me. And as for John, how could he refuse to be given a mother? Jesus gives us people to love and who will love us back because He is merciful. And as we love each other, God is glorified.
Jesus didn't want mothers or children to be alone. That's why He entrusted Mary to John even in His final moments. He wanted to ensure His mother would be cared for, just as He ensures that we, too, are never forgotten. Mothers love so deeply that they often forget they are also worthy of love. I am a living proof that while we may be blessed with children, we still face struggles that only another mother could truly understand.
On top of the load we carry daily, we bear the weight of a fear no mother wants to face—that one day, we might lose our children. Mary knew that pain. She stood at the foot of the cross as her only Son suffered and died. No one knows how much it broke her heart. Yet Jesus, in His love, assured her that she would always be cherished, loved, and revered.
To all the mothers who are in the dark and feel invisible to the world, remember that Jesus sees you. He sees all your worries, sacrifices, and even your dreams that remain unfulfilled because of parenthood. He loves you, and you are worthy of love. Rest in His love.
As I look at my children, I imagine them as parents someday. As much as I want to protect them my whole life, they will, one day, leave me. My only prayer is that when they face their own struggles, they will remember this: In her lowest, their mother turned to Jesus—and she lived.
Prayer
Lord, I lift to You all the mothers who feel alone, worthless, or unloved. Remind them daily that You see them, that they are more precious than sparrows, and that You have a plan for their lives. May they realize that motherhood is a beautiful season of their lives, and that you always hold them in the palm of Your hand. Amen.
Judy Marie Santiago Aladin is an editor at Smart Parenting, the parenting brand of Summit Media. She has worked in media, corporate, and non-profit organizations, but considers motherhood the most challenging, rewarding, and fulfilling job of all.
It was a fine normal day in Jerusalem, excited to attend the solemn profession of one our friars. Yet that morning of October 7, 2023 suddenly became different. The war broke between Israel and the Hamas terrorists of Gaza. When these terrorists attacked the neighboring villages around the Gaza strip, 1,195 civilians and soldiers were brutally murdered, many of them were just starting their Shabbat routines in their homes. And they kept a total of 251 hostages. As the Israeli army retaliates, the civilian death toll in Gaza started also to rise (now around 50,000, according to some estimates) and it continues until this day as both sides are not giving up.
Among those murdered that day were four Overseas Filipino Workers who have chosen to stay with their sick old patients to look after them and to protect them from danger. Later that day, we have seen the atrocities, the burned bodies and even beheaded persons just because they were perceived as enemies. Then, the war started, innocent lives lost because the terrorists hid themselves under civilian buildings. Propaganda from each side starts to roll and the one who controls the narrative wins the information war. Every war is complicated and no one really wins, and the innocent are left dead or badly injured.
At the sight of this tragedy, one could ask, “My God, my God, why did you abandon us? Why should the innocent suffer from all of these things? Why could we not just live in peace and harmony with our neighbors?” In the same manner, the innocent cries and suffers with the Lord Jesus Christ who hangs in the cross: “My God, my God, why did you abandon me?”
Hanging on the cross, the Crucified Lord is shown as fully divine and fully human. He divinely forgives those who repent and who have wronged him. However, he also displays the weight of bearing the sins of the world in the cross. Indeed, Jesus is God but at the same time He is also human who have experienced betrayal, suffering, abandonment and being forsaken. Jesus Christ bridges us to God for through Him we know that God is not that abstract and detached Being who doesn’t care at all. He became a pilgrim among us to show us who the Father is, but also to show God’s mercy and compassion through his solidarity to the human condition.
Jesus’ cry on the cross to the Father quotes the Davidic Psalm 22, which actually contains a parallel to the crucifixion: piercing of the hands and feet, dividing the garments, and mockery and wagging heads. Although this Psalm captures the suffering of the Just and his sentiment of abandonment, in the end there is hope for God heard his cry and have answered him (vv.18-32). Lamenting becomes praising God for his goodness and announcing it to all.
During times of distress and problems, to whom do we turn to? We have witnessed many bitter events in our lives which sometimes just crushes us not only externally but also inside. We might question God’s presence in all of these. Sometimes, many mistakenly accuse God of allowing all the evil in the world to take place especially when the innocent suffers. The problem of evil remains a mystery, however, the Son of God came to take part of our sufferings. Jesus Himself became the victim of injustice! His participation in the sufferings of humanity may not have changed the fact that humanity will still suffer, however, He showed us the Way to handle our sufferings by remaining fully in communion with the Father. And he did not delude Himself in trusting to the plan of God. His passion on the cross was not the end, it was only part of the bigger picture of His glorious resurrection.
As pilgrims of hope, we are reminded that our journey towards God is not a one-way pavement, rather it is very dynamic, full of challenges and also brings suffering. However, life has its ups and downs and that makes it livelier and demands our creativity and faithfulness in making the walk. What we actually trod as pilgrims of hope is our very own Via Crucis, for to follow Jesus is to take up our daily crosses with Him.
The world still suffers with wars, violence, natural catastrophes, corrupt politicians, and all. To feel lost and abandoned is a valid emotion, if we need to cry to God, we should do it. Confronted by the sufferings of the world, we are called to be instruments of making it a better place for all. Yet, sometimes it’s just too heavy to bear, but God is our refuge, and with Jesus we can also cry: “My God, my God, why did you abandon me?”
Prayer
My God, my God,
In the silence, I feel lost.
In the darkness, I feel alone.
But still—I call out to You.
Even when I don’t feel You near,
Even when my heart is heavy with sorrow,
I remember that You were there—
On the cross, crying out just as I do now.
So, hold me in this moment.
Do not let go.
Even when I feel abandoned,
Remind me I am never forgotten,
That You are with me.
Amen.
Fra Mark Vertido Palafox, OFM, is a friar minor of the Holy Land since 2017. He was ordained priest last June 29, 2024 in Jerusalem. Currently, he resides at the Basilica of the Nativity and serves as the Formator of Aspirants of his religious province, helping young men discover God’s call to them.
This statement of Jesus is the shortest yet overwhelming. It describes the expression of both His human and divine nature.
As humans we drink water to quench our thirst after some tiring activities. Jesus felt the same and even worse as He hung on the cross that He carried on the way to Calvary. He asked for a drink but He was given vinegar which added to His agony. I can't imagine how he was able to bear that much of a suffering after all that he's been through.
I realized that only Jesus can do that. To sacrifice and give his life for our sake. Jesus yearns to fulfill God's plan and His desire to draw all of us into the divine love that he embodies. He thirsts for our hearts, for our souls. He longs to quench the spiritual dryness in us, to hope in his love, grace and mercy.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, we come before you today as pilgrims of hope. Help us to lead our brothers and sisters to thirst for the living water that only you can provide. We pray for the nourishment in our souls that we may serve others, to bring them hope that only you can give. In this pilgrimage of life, hold us and take us to where we feel safe and unafraid of whatever we may encounter along the way. For we know that you are with us. Even in the darkest moments of our lives we were never alone. We put our trust in you. May we always hope and thirst for your unconditional love. Amen.
Maritess Zamora Bungay is a Junior HS Teacher (Values Education). She is a former member of Apostleship of Prayer-Youth & Tanghalang Anluwage in Saint Joseph Parish, Gagalangin, Tondo.
My family, me, my wife Ruby, and our two kids, Fourth (14) and Una (8) left the Philippines in December 2021. My wife was about to take up a two-year Diploma in Business Administration program at a university in Canada. Before, student visa holders were allowed to bring their whole family, so we left altogether, bringing with us so much faith, hope, excitement, and anxiety all rolled up in one.
To be honest, the idea of living in a different country was never an option for me before as my nationalistic heart would say “I am more needed here in the country.” Not even when I got married did I consider moving away from the country. But everything started to change when Fourth and Una came into the picture. It has come to my understanding that every opportunity and every decision we make as husband and wife is also a decision that we must make as a father and a mother to our kids, so when the opportunity to try came in, we took it. We will be in our fourth year in Canada this year, and we are still very far from achieving our goal. One day while walking, Una asked, “Papa, why do we have to leave the Philippines?” I was surprised. Not because I don’t know the answer but because I really do. I paused and smiled at her. Took a deep breath and said, “One day, I will explain everything to you” and with innocent and trusting eyes, she replied, “Ok po, Papa.”
I believe most of the immigrants would be on the same page with us in terms of the reason/s behind leaving the country: better options, not even for themselves but for their children, their families, and all the others who depend on them. Would you think immigrants would want to leave the country, be away from their family and friends, take multiple (odd) jobs if the things that they are looking for are already in their country? I bet not.
And thoughts about options made to think about a common question one might ask, “Did Jesus have an option not to suffer and die on the cross”?
I mean, Jesus could have done something else instead of carrying the cross, be scourged, be crowned with thorns, be left alone by His closest friends, be ridiculed, be shouted at, be nailed, pierced, and die, right?
Well, you see, the devil tempted Him and tried its best to stop Him from doing what He ought to do. In Matthew 4:1-11, the devil tried to lure Jesus many times to succumb to his authority (And here, you will be able to see that even the devil recognizes who Jesus is). He could have just turned the stone into bread, He could have thrown Himself from the highest point of the temple so that the angels could catch Him, or He could have just bowed and worshipped the devil.
Yes, Jesus was presented with options to abandon His mission. But he did not take it, not even a hint of doing it. Jesus remained in His identity. He remained focused on His mission. From the very start, Jesus knew who He was and the mission that He must accomplish and the things He must do to accomplish it. He knew it would not be easy. He knew it would be painful. He knew that He must pay the ultimate price, just to make it happen.
But why?
Because His love for us goes beyond His pain, His tears, His blood, His very own life. His love is you.
The same way that Jesus calls us to focus on the goal. We might have different goals in life and rightfully so. But do not forget that everything here on earth is only temporary. Our ultimate and eternal goal should be to be with the Father.
Focus on it. The path won’t be easy with all the challenges and difficulties but believe me when I say that because of His love, He will do everything just to make this happen. But you also must do your part.
Remember
You are worthy…
You are saved…
You owe nothing…
Your debts were paid in full with His very own life…
You are not an option…
You are the mission…
You are His love…
Tetelestai…
It is finished…
Prayer:
Father in heaven, thank You for the gift of Your mission. Thank You for the gift of the cross. Thank You for the gift of Your death. Thank You for the gift of Your resurrection. Shower us with Your mercy as we continue our earthly journey. Grant us the gift of perseverance so that we remain focused on our goal, and that is to be with You eternally.
We ask this through the intercession of Your Mother, Mary, Our Lady of La Naval de Manila.
Praise to You, Lord God. King of the universe!
All for Jesus! 😊
Last 17th of March 2024, our family welcomed the newest member of our blood in the person of my nephew, Rome Ioseffus, Rio as we call him. He is the son of my brother and his wife.
Well, one amazes and rejoices in the presence of a new-born child. His smiles, jiggles, and joys were so priceless to us. But now that he has turned a year old, we see some growth patterns happening to him. He can now, by glimpse, say some words, his hand clapping, his expressions, and most of all his walking. It is pure joy to see him walk. But then, this is something new for Rio. We can see that his feet and legs would shake when he attempts to walk. He balances himself when he wishes to do so and walk. But, what is notable with him was his way of seeking help when he falls down or sits after attempting to walk. Thanks to my brother and sister-in-law for always holding his hands, raising him, and letting him walk again. For most of the time, they would be near him, holding him so that he can walk. After holding him, there will be a series of times that he can walk alone (at least for some meters), and then, would need the hands of his mom or dad or to whomever is close to him.
At the very pinnacle of Jesus’ suffering, he entrusted his life to his Father: “Into your hands, I commend my spirit.” Up until the very last, Jesus taught us to hold on to God. Even amid dying, Jesus never left the hands of the Lord and would continue to entrust his life to his loving Father. Though he can freely do things, never will he do such alone. All he needs always are the hands of Abba. He walked all along in this world but never out of the hands of his Father.
But, trying to see this prayer of Jesus commending his life to the hands of his father, is a sign of hope. When holding on to God’s hands, we place all our hope in him. When Rio is trying his best to walk, when he holds the hands of his mom and dad, of his lolo and lola, of his aunts and uncles, he is as if telling us: I place my hands on you. With your hands, I can do better. With your hands, I can see my beautiful life ahead. With your hands, I can hope for a better “me.”
Nothing in the life of Jesus was apart from the hands of his Father, apart from the hope from his Father. When he healed the sick, he was holding his Father’s hands, he drew hope from these hands. When he was teaching his people, he was holding his Father’s hands, he drew hope from these hands. When he was doing all sorts of miracles, he was holding his Father’s hands, he drew hope from these hands. When he was facing life’s misery with his apostles, he was holding his Father’s hands, he drew hope from these hands. When Jesus holds on to his Father’s hands, he hopes. In holding, there is hoping. May pag-asa sa pagkapit.
This is precisely a good reminder to all of us: if we still commend our life to God’s hand and hope in God’s hand? Conflicts around us may just say that we’ve been holding on to our own hands and hoping all by ourselves, ergo, the war and the injustices. The almost three years of pandemic tested how we have commended our life to this hand and hoped from these hands. With the global phenomena of climate change and crisis on weather and environment, we might be seeing ourselves not anymore holding to God’s hands, hoping in God’s hands, but by being the hand that manipulates and even scrapes environmental dignity. These crises opened our eyes that we might be holding our hands or other’s hands too much that we do not anymore commend our lives to God. We’ve been holding our hands and have hoped less. But now, it is time to hold God’s hands, commend our lives to him, and hope in him.
At the point of death, Jesus expressed that “all my life, I need your hands, I hope in your hands.” Jesus passed over death to life because he held on to God’s hands, he hoped in God’s hands.
If we wish to see our own Paschal Mystery, our own Passover, our own Easter, our own healing, our New Life, be ready to keep on holding to God and hoping in God.
Prayer:
Father, into your hands, we commend our life. Never let us be far from these hands that love and give hope. Without and far from these hands, we are sure to fail, we are sure to despair. With trust, let us continue holding on to you and hoping on to you. Amen.
Rev. Fr. Vicente Gabriel S.J. Bautista, Fr. Viel, as he is fondly called, is a priest of the Archdiocese of Manila. Ordained to the Priesthood by Jose F. Cardinal Advincula on December 3, 2022. He is now the Vice Rector of the Metropolitan Manila Cathedral – Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Intramuros, Manila.
Beneath the cross, we bow in adoration before You, Lord Jesus.
Your whole life was a life spent in love. In Your hidden life, You allowed that love to be nurtured. In Your public ministry, You courageously proclaimed it to all without exception.
Thank You for Your Seven Last Words, O Christ. May they give us consolation in these challenging times. May they also wake us up from the long sleep of apathy, selfishness, and lack of discernment.
In Your love, save our world, our country, Your people.
One with Mary, we make this prayer. Amen.
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Thank you, sisters and brothers, for joining in our Holy Week special. Thank you also to our writers from across the world who contributed their reflections in our Holy Week special this year. Refreshed and nurtured by Jesus' Seven Last Words, let us proclaim His love to all. God bless!
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