Holy Mass on the Enthronement of Our Lady of La Naval

Homily by Rev. Fr. Roger Caminoy Quirao, OP,
Prior of the Santo Domingo Convent, Quezon City

Santo Domingo Church, Quezon City
3 October 2019

Magandang gabi po sa ating lahat, maraming salamat po sa inyong pagdalo sa ating taunang pagdiriwang sa simula ng araw ng ating pagpapahalaga at pagbigay puri sa ating Mahal na Ina.

The month of October is the month of the Rosary and the second Sunday of October is marked as the Feast Day of the Holy Rosary, La Naval de Manila. This is the one of the most awaited Liturgical Celebrations in Santo Domingo Church. the Most Blessed Lady of the Holy Rosary La Naval de Manila is now enthroned in her Baldachino and we officially start our yearly Marian devotion to Our Lady of La Naval. We are looking up at her, beautifully adorned with her jewels and new vestments and from her throne, we offer the Garlands of our Prayers, pleading for her intercession that she may intercede for us with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear young people and all La Naval devotees, this years festivities focus on young people with Mary as Companion “Inang Maria, kaagapay ng kabataan sa paglalakbay” Mary was very young when she become the Mother of Jesus, there were questions lingering on her mind, fears and doubts on how could these things happened to her but in spite of her youthful age, she made the greatest and biggest decision of her life; she accepted the responsibility on becoming the Mother of the Son of God. Her Fiat made her our model and companion in our journey towards the Kingdom of God.

Our Gospel stresses the readiness of Mary in serving in being a handmaid. After the Annunciation, the Angel Gabriel speaks about the pregnancy of her cousin Elizabeth and immediately Mary rises and sets out as quickly as she can to go and help her cousin. From Nazareth to the house of Elizabeth in Judah, there were more than 100km, at least 4 day of travelling, there were no buses or trains, mary begins to serve and fulfils her mission on behalf of the people of God.

Siguro ay maitatanong natin, sino ang kasama ni Maria sa kanyang paglakbay patungong Juadah, marahil ay ilang kamag-anak o mahal sa buhay, ngunit sigurado tayong baon ni Mariua sa kanyang puso ang matibay na pananampalataya na kasama niya ang Poong Maykapal.

The Angel told her during the Annunciation “the Holy Spirit will overshadow you” she was not alone. In his Apostolic Exhortation following 2018’s Synod on “Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment.” Pope Francis emphasise “Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive! He is in you, he is with you and he never abandons you. However far you may wander, he is always there, the Risen One. He calls you and he waits for you to return to him and start over again. When you feel you are growing old out of sorrow, resentment or fear, doubt or failure, he will always be there to restore your strength and your hope.” (cfr. Christus Vivit, 1-2). young people are given specific mission for the sake of the Kingdom.

It is emphasised in the same Apostolic Exhortation how God has to say about young people, just for instance in the Old Testament, the story of Joseph, he was very young and yet God showed him great things in dreams and when only 17 years old, he outshone all his brothers in important matters. Gideon approached God and told God that he was angry because of the suffering of the people of Israel, yet God was not offended but went to order him “Go in the smite of yours and deliver Israel.” King David was chosen while he is still a boy, yet Prophet said that the chosen one was the young David who was tending the Flock, for a man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart. King Solomon said when he had to succeed his Father “I am a mere youth, not knowing at all to act” yet the audacity of youth moved him to ask God for wisdom and devoted himself to mission. Huwag po tayong matakot na tanggapin ang misyon na ipagkakaloob ng Diyos sa atin.

In the New Testament, we have our model, the Blessed Mother was very young and yet she was chosen to be the Mother of the Savior. And Jesus himself, eternally young, our model, young among the young in order to be an example for the young and to consecrate them to the Lord.

Dear La Naval devotees and young people of today, we may be asking a lot of questions, confronted by our fears and anxieties, we may be challenged to make a major decisions, we may fail many times in doing good works but we  must also remember the promise of Jesus, he will be with us till the end of time and he will be always be there to restore our strength and our hope. With faith in our hearts and with the Blessed Mother praying and interceding for us, we may always remember that in every mystery of our Joy, in every mystery of our Light, in every mystery of our Sorrow, in every mystery of our Glory, we have a Mother who is always guiding and loving us.

Kung tayo ay magbalik tanaw sa ating buhay at pagnilayan ito ng Mabuti, masasabi nating malayo na rin ang ating narating, hindi dahil tayo’y may angking kakayanang gumawa ng isang bagay kundi tayo ay mayroong kasama na palaging gumagabay at walang sawang nagmamahal sa atin, ang ating Mahal na Ina at Panginoong Hesus.

As we celebrate this year, the Year of the Youth “Gifted, Beloved, Empowered,” we should also remind ourselves that we as adults should offer good examples to our young people as we accompany them in their journey in life as I’ve said “we have journeyed this far” we have been through a lot of difficulties in life, we’ve been given a lot of blessings by the Almighty Father and in all this, we have survived, all this we have accomplished cause we are not alone in our journey, we have Mary and Jesus always guiding and protecting us through life’s journey. As Mary was always guided by her trust and deep faith in God, we are also guided by the same trust and faith through her intercession.

Bubuuin natin ang siyam na araw ng pagdarasal at pagnobenaryo at buong puso maniwala sa pagmamahal ng Diyos sa atin. Kasama natin si Maria at HEsus.

Let us entrust ourselves in the loving care of the Blessed Mother, believing in her love that she would always intercede for us with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Inang Maria, gabayan mo kami lalong-lalo na ang mga kabataan ngayon sa aming paglalakbay dito sa ibabaw ng mundo, upang aming masundan ang landas na iyong tinahak patungo kay Hesukristo. Amen.