A25 PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY January 1 - 15 , 2017
2 Ways to Love Like Jesus of Nazareth- Cardinal Tagle
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle urges devotees of the Black Nazarene to learn from the way Jesus loved , in order to unite their families , parishes , and even the nation .
During Tagle ’ s homily for the midnight mass at the Quirino Grandstand before the observance of the annual Traslacion procession on Monday , he reflected that Jesus loved in a way that did not make a distinction between others and himself .
Jesus saw the people around him not as different from him , but as his own family ; this despite him being the son of God , and others being mere mortals .
“‘ Wag mo nang ituring na iba ka sa amin . Hindi ka naiba . Itinuturing na ikaw ay kasama , kasarili ko , kasama ka sa aming pamilya ( Do not see yourself as different from us . You are not different . I treat you as my companion , just like me , a part of my family ),” Tagle elaborated .
As it was also the feast of Jesus ’ baptism by John the Baptist , the Manila Archbishop pointed out , when Jesus was about to be baptized , John the Baptist did not want to perform the ritual , because he believed it should be the other way around . Jesus was without sin , and he did not baptize with water only , but with the Holy Spirit . Why then would he ask to be baptized by someone who had sinned , and who could only baptize with water ?
But Jesus replied that it was the right thing to do , as it was God ’ s will . It was God ’ s will for his son to become human , and to live among sinners . Jesus , said Tagle , was not ashamed to be seen with the poor and the people society had spurned for their sins .
“ Ipinadama niya sa kanila , ‘ Hindi kayo naiiba sa akin . Nandito ako para maging kaisa ninyo ’ ( He made them feel , ‘ You are not different from me . I am here to be one with you ’),” Tagle said .
Tagle said that division
often stemmed from people being judgmental of one another . They saw themselves as right , and others wrong ; themselves as clean , and others dirty ; themselves as on the right track , and others as addlebrained .
This negative trait prevented people from reaching out to others and considering them to be the same as them . Why pretend that other people were the only ones who “ forgot ” sometimes , who gave in to temptation and did the wrong thing ?
“ Malimit din tayong madapa ( We , too , often trip ),” Tagle said . Would it not better to embrace the weak and the sinful , rather than tear them down ?
Jesus also loved , if not loudly , then actively , by healing the sick , making the lame walk , and letting the mute speak . He always tended to the needs of those around him , and worked for the good of others .
Love was not just a feeling or an idea , the Manila Archbishop said . It had to be demonstrated through action , by drawing near to others , by freeing those who were imprisoned by the dark .
And such acts were not performed in order to seek attention and praise . Rather , it was done solely for the benefit of others .
“ Love perseveres . It does not delight in the downfall of others ,” Tagle stressed .
He related his homily to the theme of this year ’ s procession of the Black Nazarene , “ Pagibig ang buklod ng ganap na pagkakaisa ( And over all these virtues put on love , which binds them all together in perfect unity ),” which was taken from Colossians 3:14 .
Love would bring not just Filipinos , but the whole world , the unity that they had been yearning for , Tagle said .
In closing , he prayed , “ Jesus of Nazareth , teach us to love in the way you showed your love for us .”( T . Aquino , Interaksyon )
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