Brothers in the episcopate, Excellency Monsignor Florentino
Lavarias, Archbishop of San Fernando, Excellency Msgr. Florentino Cinense, Bishop
of Tarlac, dear priests led by Fr Christian Magtalas, pastor of the parish of Immaculate
Conception, the organizing group for the visit of the Holy Face of Manoppello,
led by the Rector of the Basilica of the Holy Face in Manoppello, Father
Carmine Cucinelli, dear benefactors led by the Alzate and Gallego families,
dear brothers and sisters in Christ, good afternoon to you all. We are gathered
here to enthrone the Sudarium of the Holy Face of Manoppello revered as the
funeral veil of Christ on which is imprinted the Holy Face of the Risen Lord.
Why is this taking place in a small parish in the
country town of Nampicuan when there are basilicas, shrines and cathedrals in
the dioceses and in the archdioceses of the Philippines? A simple parish, unknown, unpopular and humble; nevertheless
has been chosen to host the Sudarium of the Holy Face of Jesus, the relic most
studied by many scientists. Do you know that the motto of Pope Francis 'Miserable
atque eligendo', means,'Humble and chosen'.
In short, this is the summary of the Magnificat (Luke 1,46-55), where Mary
praises God for having lifted up the lowly. these words embody the wisdom of
God, who chooses "what is weak in the world to shame the strong '' (1
Corinthians 1:27). These words capture the experience of each of us, called by
God to a mission; the experience of a community called by God for a mission
such as the parish of the Immaculate Conception.
This experience manifests the continuous love of God
as the Good Shepherd and his preference for the poor. In short, these words are
a summary of the whole divine economy. As our Blessed Mother Mary, the community
of the parish of the Immaculate Conception, despite its littleness, is
privileged, called and chosen to take care of this relic of the Holy Face. Each
of you are invited, through the intercession of Blessed Mother Mary, the
Immaculate Conception, to look and to know God by fixing your eyes on the face
of his son Jesus. Father Raniero Cantalamessa reminded us during the retreat of
the national clergy, "You become what it is you gaze upon!” We become
Jesus if we look constantly upon him with love.
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Fr. Christian Magtalas told me about the extraordinary
spiritual renewal that took place during the preparation for this important
event: he said it is the experience of being risen from sin, from the darkness,
from human frailty. This gift, that is,
to have the Holy Face of Jesus, brings us light, conversion from a sinful life,
unity and healing from our weakness. He said that many people began to attend
Holy Mass. It is like a spark that brings enlightenment to those who had not
bothered to attend Mass and to enrich their relationship with God.
Many stories have been heard about conversion, that
that is “pagbabalik sa Diyos” (return to the way of God). A very concrete example, he said, was a group
of young people- altar boys when they were younger- and others who have helped
in the preparation of our celebration today. They worked to beautify the surroundings
of the parish church. These young men were starting to work from 5pm right out
of school and continued until midnight.
They thus found joy and a new meaning for having put
themselves at the service of the Church. Many of them approached for sacramental
confession with a common reason: “‘we want to purify ourselves before welcoming
the Holy Face of Jesus.” Father
Christian after listening to their confessions, said that “they were the most
significant of his ministry”
According to the pastor, there have already occurred many
healings, especially in interpersonal relationships. Many people were attracted
by the unity and let themselves be drawn by this force to work together as a
single body. Each extends a hand to help, and so it began. . Even more, some people
who though belonging to other religions have contributed to the preparation of
this great event.
Also, there are those who have turned their back on
the Church and now are returning. Even before its arrival we already have felt
the presence of the Holy Face of Jesus.
The people of Nampicuan and the entire Diocese of San
Jose welcome the sudarium of the Holy Face of Jesus as a blessing. And for this
great gift, we sincerely thank the Lord. The gifts received during the
preparation for this event can affirm this reality. Indeed, many have become so
generous and open in welcoming the presence of the Lord in the persons of our
brothers and sisters. Everyone really gave something according to his ability. We really have experienced the true ministry.
To God be the glory!
Dear faithful of Nampicuan, I pray sincerely to the
Lord that the experiences of light, healing and conversion that you experienced
in recent weeks and months can become a permanent experience especially now that
the veil of the Holy Face of Jesus is enthroned in your parish.
Pope Benedict XVI reminded the faithful in his homily
during his visit to the Shrine of Manoppello that if we have the desire to know
God, we can know him through the face of Christ. He said that this is the
reason why we venerate the images that tradition considers as exceptional ways
to glimpse this face, both in Manoppello as in Turin. "The Shroud of
Turin," he said, "is an icon written in blood. Every trace of blood speaks of love and of
life. ""While the veil of Manoppello is the sudarium of Christ. This
is the mysterious second cloth from the grave of the Crucified Christ that John
the Evangelist discovered about 40 hours after the death of Jesus- along with
another, linen sheet."
In Manoppello, we glimpse on his face an initial ray
of the light that the apostle saw on Tabor during the Transfiguration, as is
narrated by St. Matthew 5:3-14. Both cloths contain images of light, on one
weak and shadowy, while on the other truly clear. The cloth of the tomb is gigantic; the other is the
size of a napkin. His portrait is exactly the size of a human face, on which we
perceive him alive, that is, after his death and not before- with the wounds of
his passion, but liberated, peaceful, benevolent.
The Shroud of Turin contains, in addition to the
discreet image, many stains of blood from a totured man; while the napkin
illustrates the "Lamb of God" killed, but intact and fully pure and
cleansed, with a face that closely unites pain and sorrow and light as only
love can do. As Archbishop Bruno Forte said. "This reminds us that Christ
died and rose, never to die again. Here the history of humanity has decisively
changed"
In today's first reading, we are reminded that we are
one body in Christ and drink of the same spirit, the source of different gifts
in the mystical body of Christ. Our celebration today, invites us to glimpse
that this Mystical Body of Christ has a head, Jesus Christ.
As we look to the Holy Face of Jesus, let our first
principle be that the Lord Jesus remain always as our head, so that the gifts
we possess are always offered to the service of the mystical body. This will be
a concrete way to avoid competition and jealousy; to really work together
always for the building of the body of Christ, the Church. I was talking to Archbishop
Lavarias this morning and I asked him why even in Church we cannot avoid
jealousy and rivalry among members. He
replied, 'perhaps because many times we lose sight of the head of the Church, Jesus'.
St. Therese of the Child Jesus, known as St. Teresa of
the Holy Face of Jesus, when she realized she was part of this mystical body of
Christ, cried ecstatically: "I want to be love in the heart of Church!”
Today, as we look upon the Holy Face of Jesus of Manoppello, as we gaze upon
our Head, we pray that we can find our place in the mystical body of Christ and
shouting ecstatically as did St. Teresa, "I too want to be love in the head
or hands or feet of Jesus." Let us
pray that we find our place in the Church, and to give ourselves wholeheartedly
to the glory of God and the Church.
When I was chosen as bishop, Pope Benedict XVI, commissioned
me: "Teach, dear son, the faithful to know how to recognize the presence of
Christ in every person, so they can find and see his face in the midst of the other,
but especially in the poor."
I realized that to do this, one of the first things
that I needed to do is also to challenge you and ask you to always look upon
the face of Jesus so that it is imprinted forever in your hearts. This surely
will remind us of our Head and become a
challenge to offer ourselves as a gift for the whole mystical body of Christ, especially
the sick, the poor and the marginalized.
May the Lord Jesus through every member
of this parish of the Immaculate Conception give notice to the sick, to the poor
and to those who are and lifeless: 'I tell you, little girl or boy, arise! “May
the arrival of the veil of the Holy Face of Jesus bring us spiritual renewal, healing
and salvation, so that we may be able to exult: "God has truly visited his
people!”Amen.
S. E. Rev. Msgr. Roberto Calara Mallari
Bishop of the Diocese of San Jose, Nueva Ecija,
Philippines
translated from the Italian version of the homily which appeared in the December 2014 edition of Il Volto Santo di Manoppello, the journal of the Shrine of the Holy Face of Manoppello
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