Thank The Nazarene Its Friday Witnessed the masses,and mass at Quiapo Church. That sea of humanity,the palpable energy and fervor, and rapt attention on a hot noontime and me of the privileged class left in awe not only of the revered Nazarene image on the high altar but all those peoples of every class bonded on that massive church bordered by restos,shops and offices of earthly concerns. One can only wish Dan Brown struck by lightning,and infected by faith and viewing this scene somehow revise his write-up of Manila as “Gate of Heaven”. This scene happens every Friday. And I noticed the males, hordes of them belying the impression that Church is for the “manangs” , the infirm,and well, Nietzches losers. These are folks who are scarred with life’s unrelenting wars, who bear its burdens unbending and ready for more and worse ones, yet uncomplaining, unburdening themselves on a God “blackened” by the sun’s heat as he goes around doing good” according to the homilist, who was himself “ebony”…(definitely a theology from below)Were the statisticians in dreamland snoozing to have failed to notice this scene every Friday? So they expect us to believe the bromide of peoples dumping the Church, eyeing to “jump over the fence”? Granted in countrysides, chapels are emptying, but that’s because even schoolhouses in some barangays are emptying too. Peoples are very mobile, flocking to urban centers for livelihood. Still the inability to go to mass is no indication of abandoning the faith. Statistics don’t tell the complete story. Peoples are simply unable to go to mass even on Sundays because they have nothing on the table, or it might be a simple case of not having anything special to wear(Our parish chapel leaders know). Faith cant be measured on such terms important it might be. PCP II recognized this when it said attendance in the Eucharist is not the total measure of being a believer. Being a follower of Christ is. It recognized the witnessing of the unchurched in many form of sharing and outreach to the poor. But here in the devotion to the Black Nazarene is an instance of the happy fusion of the Eucharist and communion with the poor and the least. An old lady was trying to get a seat on our pew, probably feeling tired standing on her feet. A chubby middle-aged lady immediately stood up wordlessly offering her place for her. I was sure glad no one noticed my clerical garb for I was on that pew. Indeed when you are on the pew rather on the sanctuary you get to see things from a new angle. That Friday, from where I stood and knelt and sat, among bowed heads, closed eyes, upraised arms, and strong voices singing, the common priesthood was not so common…
Posted on: Sat, 03 Aug 2013 02:46:36 +0000
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