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FOLLOW JESUS, NOT VICES: CARDINAL ADVINCULA JR. ARTICULATES TRUE DEVOTION DURING ‘MISA MAYOR’ BEFORE THE TRASLACION PROCESSION

Jan. 25, 2025 02:09 PM

QUIRINO GRANDSTAND, LUNETA – His Eminence Cardinal Jose Advincula Jr. presides the Misa Mayor at the stroke of midnight on January 9, 2025, at the Luneta Grandstand hours before the annual Traslacion procession starts. This vigil mass is attended by around 140,000 devotees, (based on Rappler coverage) who are in anticipation of this religious parade, the highlight of the Feast of Jesus Nazareno (Black Nazarene), which will be celebrated for the first time as a ‘national feast’ to be observed in all dioceses across the Philippines.

In his homily, Cardinal Advincula stresses the importance of obedience by a devotee in genuinely loving Lord Jesus, the Nazarene. He, further, calls upon the devotees to follow the will of the Father like Jesus until death because of love. This aligns with this year’s Nazareno 2025 theme: “Obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22) to those who hope in Jesus”.

“In reality, obedience is a sign of hope. Whatever we follow, we put (our) hopes on it. If we offer to the Lord (Señor), but the objective is money, this means money is only our purpose”.

(Sa totoo lang, ang pagsunod ang tanda ng pag-asa.  Kung ano ang sinusunod natin, yun talaga talaga ang inaasahan natin.  Kung naghahandog tayo sa Senyor, pero sumusunod naman tayo sa pera, ibig sabihin, pera talaga ang inaasahan natin.)

Cardinal Advincula tells the devotees that real devotion is not the pursuit for vicious people, vices and other worldly deeds. A true devotee, according to him, is finding hope in and following Jesus.

“There is only one hope we can cling onto; Only one brings hope that never fails: the beloved Jesus of Nazarene. That is why we should follow Him. We should live by His commandments. We should take it into hearts His teachings. We should imitate His examples. It is better to obey the beloved Lord”.

(Iisa lamang ang tunay na maaasahan; iisa lamang ang nagdudulot ng pag-asang hindi bumibigo: ang Mahal na Poong Hesus Nazareno.  Kaya’t sya ang sundin natin.  Ang mga utos nya ang isabuhay natin.  Ang mga aral nya ang isapuso natin.  Ang halimbawa nya ang tularan natin.  Mas mabuti ang pagsunod sa Mahal na Senyor.)

– Kidanzac A. Tallada (Shrine & Pilgrims’ Ministry)