In Honor of INA

This weekend is the annual celebration in Bicolandia of the feast of INA, Our Lady of Penafrancia. Yesterday, I was invited to give a sharing about the Catholic view of Mary. In the same forum, a Muslim lady who teaches Muslim Religious Studies in Xavier University also gave a talk on the Muslim view of Mary. It was a very informative and enlightening experience for me. It was the first time I attended and talked in such forum. I considered my participation in the forum as my way of honoring Mary on her feastday as Patroness of the Bicol Region.

I shared with the group that for Catholics, but especially for Bicolanos, Mary, INA, is a home, a protector and a presence. In Visayan, puluy-anan, panalipdan, presensiya.

Mary as HOME/ PULUY-ANAN. When September comes, every Bicolano wants to be in Naga to join the festivities. Buses, planes, trains are fully booked as early as August. But even if Bicolanos can not be physically present in Naga, they bring Penafrancia with them where ever they are: in Manila, in Mindanao, in Canada, in Italy. Gathering together to pray and eat and chat at the same weekend that their fellow Bicolanos back in Naga are celebrating, they feel truly home. Bicol is home. Bicol equals Penafrancia. Penefancia is INA. INA is home.

And isn't Mary truly a home. For in her womb she gave shelter to the Word made flesh. She is the home of Jesus. When she pronounced her Yes! to the angel, she allowed herself to be home for Jesus (cf. Luke 1:26-38). In her body, the Son of God has found a home. In her heart, the sons and daugthers of God have also found a home.

Mary as PROTECTOR/ PANALIPDAN. History has it that the devotion to the Penafrancia grew and spread especially when Bicolanos were spared from the cholera plague in the 17th century. Bicol lies along the path of typhoons, but it has resiliently recovered from destructions brought by these natural disasters, thanks to the intercession of Mary. A town in Camarines Sur, Calabanga, is placed under the patronage of Mary as Our Lady of the Gate. It is said that when a big flood was about to enter the town, a lady stood the gate of the town and the town was spared from the flood. Many Bicolanos attest to the miraculous power of the image and mantle of Penafrancia. Indeed, Mary is protector, from calamities, disasters and sicknesses.

But isn't she truly a protector from what would otherwise hurt us? She came to the rescue of the wedding hosts in Cana when they ran out of wine. She told her Son the potentially embarrassing situation. Though his hour had not yet come, Jesus performed his very first miracle, thanks to the intercession of Mary (cf. Jn 2:1-11).

Mary as PRESENCE/ PRESENSIYA. May times, however, we feel that our prayers are left unanswered. It seems that Mary is powerless to obtain our needs. And rightly so, because Mary is just a human being like us. She is not God. She can only pray for us, pray with us. She can not perform the miracle herself. Jesus is the one who can perform the miracle. But even Jesus, God Himself seems powerless to stop the evils that afflict us. In these times, Mary does not leave us. In fact, she is even closer to us during these times. She is present to us during times of need, sickness, pains, problems, oftentimes quietly, silently.

And isn't that what she did at the foot of the cross? (cf. Jn 19:2-17). She could not stop the execution and crucifixion of Jesus. She could not lessen the physical pain of Jesus. But she was there. She was there present. She was there uniting herself with the suffering and death of Jesus. She is presence, quiet, silent, from beginning to the end.

Ina, Inay, Mama...Maria, Maryam, Mary is, for Bicolanos, for Filipinos, for Christians, for all who look up to Jesus: home, protector, presence: puluy-anan, panalipdan, presensiya.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Mary to us. Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your Mother, our Mother.

Beware of Envy!

Today's Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16: "Or are you envious because I am generous?" This is the landowner's question to those who received the just pay but complained that the owner paid those who worked only for a brief period of time the same amount given to them. Looks unfair but it is not, because the Master deals with his workers not based on strict justice, but on generous mercy and love.

Envy seems a natural reaction especially when we notice other people having more than what we have. What could we do when we feel the beginnings of envy in our hearts so that we can guard ourselves from it and prevent it from growing into a "green-eyed monster doth mock the meat it feeds on?"

May I suggest three things:
1. Focus on WHAT YOU HAVE: We are usually envious of the things we do not have. We are not contented with what we already have. Although we can actually live with what we have, we tend to want more. We want even those things we don't need. Perhaps it would help to focus on what we have rather than on what we do not have.
2. Focus on WHO YOU ARE: We are usually envious of other people's status or standing because perhaps we are not as famous or popular as they are. We are not contented with who we are: our basic and fundamental identity is that we are children of God. We are not just hired hands, we are children of God, and that should more than enough for us.
3. Focus on WHO GOD IS: THE GIVER: Nevertheless, focusing just on what we have and who we are is not enough, for oftentimes, we do not have anything or we are truly nobody in society. Hence, our ultimate focus must be God Himself, the Giver. He is and must be the source of the meaning of our life: our most precious possession. And our relationship with Him is what defines who we are.

With St Ignatius we pray, "Give me only your love and your grace. And I will ask for nothing more."