As you can see, the first 10 stanzas show different lines of stories.
Every two lines express the relationship as regards the continuity of the influence of the young Philippine Church in the 15th to 17th Century TO our present Church.
The first line expresses an event happening during the Filipino Church in the 1600s.
The second line( in bold letters) expresses how that event of the 1600s influenced, connected, or simply just related to an event happening to our Pinoy Church (or in our country in general) today.
An Indio (the name Filipino didn’t exist yet before) made a small wooden idol in memory of his dead father;
a police chief adorns his precinct with the Sto. Nino dressed in police attire.
An old Indio answered, “Bathala is a great lord to whom no one can speak…”;
lolas carefully and devotedly wiped Jesus’ body and his coffin clean ready for the procession.
A clan of Indios sailed in the balangay;
an OFW excitedly steps out of the plane to meet her whole clan for Christmas.
“What is confession Padre?”, an Indio asked and still was afraid of this new practice introduced;
a long line of penitents patiently wait for their turn for confession at the Cathedral.
An Indio kid went to hear Mass and pray the Rosary every day;
my little cousin remarkably encouraged her father to stop drinking.
A newly-baptized Indio was willing to pass through mountains just to make his confession to the Padre;
a middle-aged man really strives to get hold of the rope pulling the caro of Hesus Nazareno.
Indio sodalists (charitable institutions) visited the sick in the hospitals;
civil groups and Church join hands for the Sumilao farmers.
“No to Indio slavery!”, a Spanish bishop exclaimed;
my family shares the same food, time, and table with our workers.
Father Juan helped carry logs to build a small chapel hut with the Indios;
10 bags of cement are delivered to the convent.
A missionary remarked following Doctrina Christiana, “See how zealous they are!”;
few weeks ago, a parish priest appreciated a lay woman who still continually devotes
actively in the parish despite being reprimanded in the past.
Native priests GomBurZa were executed because they seek out for justice;
Fr. Neri Satur was killed because he defended the truth.
Missionaries preached the Gospel through our own native tongues;
Filipinos are one of the best English speakers in the world.
1 native tribal chief led his folks to be baptized by Father de Torres;
Among Ed now dares and risks.
A congregation built a hospital;
we have the best doctors in the world.
Fray Salazar defended the peace-loving Indios from abuses;
“Have you come out of swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit?”, a minister
preaches during a solemn prayer rally.
The friar accommodated the baptism of an Indio who travelled for several miles just to be catechized;
a priest didn’t pressure a 20-year unmarried couple, who finally wished for marriage, by practically not letting them undergo pre-Cana seminar anymore.
A sick Indio consulted a babaylan (priestess) for healing;
Ate Venus Guibone is an excellent, 5-star woman.
Indio children loved the kind lay man Don Gonzalo;
former-teacher-now-catechist Tatay Jose still diligently and eagerly shares about the Lord with the Grade 4 pupils.
Abuses of slavery and exploitation were done by a few friars towards the poor Indios;
the first thing (which I overheard in a jeep) 2 parishioners ask about their parish priests is, “Is your priest strict?” An Indio tied an anting-anting around his waist;
a rosary swings as the driver maneuvers the manobela of his sikad-sikad.
Whew! See that! How unique the Philippine Church truly is!
Well, how could she not be awesome when in the very first place, she had a unique past.
Imagine, that was still 1600s, yet the Spaniards were already so impressed at the Indios’ receptivity of faith!
And today, 2009, the same heat of zeal and passion is still on and burning!
I simply could not grasp and contain my feeling… there’s really “something” in us Filipinos…it’s just so unfathomable! That’s what continually enlivened the zeal and enthusiasm throughout the centuries.
The Philippine Church didn’t let go of her faith and steadfastness despite the struggles and abuses between the lines.
With such depth of faith, she will never die.
How, then, will the Philippine Church continue to keep her fire burning?
Just a very basic answer, but found it hard for some few pastors to step back into – CATECHISM.
It revolves around the history of our local Church; I could feel its dominance and utmost significance:
A catechism that shares the same passion with the zeal of the Church since the beginning of evangelization.
For it is this catechism that would still connect the essence
of the Easter Sunday sugat and the striving HOPE of the masa. It is this catechism that would
help the pastors not to be troubled and feel insecure when lay collaborators share their talents in the parish.
It is this catechism that will continually defend the Church from abuses and vices.
It is this catechism that would throw out the gold of greed, corruption, and egoism
in order to see clearly the needs of so many thirsty souls.
But a question revolves: “Why do the people of God, especially nowadays, still look for THE “Catechism”?
A pastor, then, might ask, “Haven’t we given everything?” Numerous pastoral letters have been released already.
But why do the people still look for THE “Catechism” in spite of innumerable pulpit moments?!
Simply because the Filipino people, in the very flow of blood
since the pre-hispanic times until today,
want to SEE and FEEL! And not just HEAR!
An Indio had to gaze and feel the wooden idol to commemorate his dead father;
a poor Indio farmer had to feel the roughness of the shovel to see his crops grow;
an encomiendero (Spanish landlord) had to be visible in his responsibilities so that tributes justly grow;
a pagan priestess still won patients because she was also standing barefoot on the same soil with her fellow Indios;
a man feels the weight of his sins as the heavy cross rubs his shoulder;
a man could feel the blood of penance every time he scourges his back;
and a man in Luzon didn’t only recite his Lenten prayers but also felt the nails plunged into his hands and feet.
“May God give them SOMEONE to dedicate himself to satisfy the desire of Christians and pagans to God”.
I simply couldn’t let go of this phrase of the Jesuit Fr. Humanes in the early 1600s.
The Church simply wishes to see their priests and feel his presence with them; carry logs with them;
struggles with them in poverty; tills soil with them; processes with them; prays the rosary with them;
maturely relates with them; involves in social action with them; catechizes with them;
colors the unique tradition with them…then the heat of our uniqueness as a lively Church goes on!
Such catechism will correct the still-present and deep “paganism” lurking in our traditional practices;
people would just show their best and give without one asking for it
for they would truly feel what TRUE missionaries are.
The Filipinos’ burning faith, since the beginning, is the true treasure;
may priests constantly see and guide that treasure.
For pastors, being a MISSIONARY should no longer be an ordinary 10-letter word.
From him shall grow a ministry of contemplation-in-action;
an action grounded in prayer, molded by maturity, challenged by competence, burned with zeal.
Then a priest of today will continue to express what the passionate missionaries exclaimed,
“I found GOLD in the Philippines!”
Talking too much is senseless. They have to be acted upon…be seen and felt now.
We need a lot more MISSIONARIES who let actions speak.
Yet, the call is still on…I could not help but quote:
Jesuit Spaniard Fr. Gisbert in 1881 expressed, “…from one moment I found myself surrounded
by thousands of pagans in this mission, my heart has been grieving deeply.
Tears well in my eyes, not because I experience serious difficulties,
but because I see that here, many still do not know God, and are not converted for the lack of MISSIONARIES.”
__________________________________________
My friend wishes to show to you more of our Pinoy Church’s zeal through the years, so you better meet him:
The Jesuit John N. Schumacher’s READING IN PHILIPPINE CHURCH HISTORY, 2ND ed., Quezon City, Loyola School of Theology, AdMU, 1987.
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