DAVAO City Archbishop Romulo G. Valles, during the Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord mass held at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the San Pedro Cathedral and streamed live via DXGN 89.9 Spirit FM-Davao Sunday, April 5, said the sacrifice of our frontline health workers is likened to the first step of the Via Crucis of the Lord Jesus Christ or the journey of Jesus to His passion.
He said when most of us are sacrificing right now by staying at home instead of going wherever we want to while wearing masks because we are afraid to die due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
"Ang atong sakripisyo nga mura pud ta'g namatay stay at home, mao na ang sakit. Dunay uban dili mu-stay at home, mga igsuon, kada-adlaw mga nurses, mura'g entry into Jerusalem muadto sila sa hospital. (Our sacrifice, which for us is already likened to death, that's what's painful. (However,) there are those who don't stay at home, brothers and sisters, our nurses who are like entering Jerusalem, go to the hospitals every day.) I hope you are seeing what I am saying. Many of them, yes, hadlok muadto sa hospital (it's scary to go to the hospitals [these days]), but commitment, sacrifice, service for others sulod sa SPMC (inside the SPMC), death (or) possible death is there, but they go there because they love life," Valles said.
He said it is like the sacrifice of Jesus when He entered Jerusalem to face His death.
He added during His time, Jesus knew that if He comes back to Jerusalem He will be facing death but then He still went to Jerusalem so that the Scripture will be fulfilled and so that we may have eternal life.
"Ang sakripisyo ni Jesus, gisugdan niya to the entry into Jerusalem sa ato pa pagsulod niya ngadto sa Herusalem kahibalo siya nga padulong kana sa krus.Mangutana kita mag-mask man gani ta kay di ta gusto mamatay, si Jesus gusto mamatay, kita dili gusto mamatay, ako nag-mask dinhi, mutuman kita (sa) stay at home kay di ta gusto mamatay, si Hesus wala nag-mask misulod sa Herusalem, padulong sa kamatayon, mangutana kita, sakripisyo ni Hesus padulong sa kamatayon, nindot kana nga pamalandong sakripisyo nga magdala kanato sa kamatayon (The sacrifice of Jesus started on His entry to Jerusalem, which means when He entered Jerusalem He already knew that His journey will end at His crucifixion. Now we ponder on ourselves, we wear a mask because we don't want to die but Jesus Christ wanted to die, we obey the stay at home policy because we don't want to die but Jesus Christ entered into Jerusalem unto his death. We ponder on ourselves, the sacrifice of Jesus leading to His death. This is a good thought to ponder on, sacrifice that will lead to our death)," Valles added.
Prior to this, he reminded the public that Palm Sunday or the blessing of the palm is only symbolistic of Jesus' first step to His death leading to our salvation.
"Kanang palma simbolo lang kana, magpahinumdom kana nato sa entrance sa pagsulod ni Jesus sa Herusalem. Misugod siya sa iyang Via Crucis. Ang Via Crucis, dalan sa Krus, ang katapusan dalan sa krus, ginganlan kanang Via Crucis tungod kay ang iyang finale mao ang kamatayon, (The palm is just a symbol, it reminds us of the entry of Jesus to Jerusalem. Jesus started his Via Crusis. The Via Crucis, way of the cross, the final stage of the way of the cross, it is called Via Crucis since its finale is death)," he said.
He also clarified that the official name and the first stage of the Via Crucis is not "Palm Sunday" but the "solemn entry of Jesus to Jerusalem" and the blessing of the palms is only part of the event.
He said Catholic faithful need not worry that there was no actual blessing of their palms because the prayer he did during the first part of the mass was already as good as though they are there at the Cathedral, being physically present.
Valles also clarified that using the technology to continue with the celebration of masses is not their initiative but of the Vatican as the Vatican ordered to utilize the new technology so that the mass will still be celebrated even without the public's physical presence.
