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
1 October 2020

Ang aking pagbati sa lahat ng mga deboto ng Mahal na Birhen ng Santo Rosaryo ng La Naval, sa lahat ng mga nanonood sa livestreaming at sa inyong lahat na nandirito ngayon, nawa’y maging maayos at nasa mabuting kalagayan ang bawat isa.
(My greetings to all the devotees of the Blessed Virgin of the Holy Rosary of La Naval, to all who are watching via livestreaming and to all of you who are here today, may everyone be well and in good condition.)

Naging malaking hamon para sa ating lahat ang nakalipas na mga buwan. Halos sa simula pa lamang ng taong 2020 ay marami nang pagsubok ang dumating sa ating buhay; andiyan ang pagsabog ng Bulkang Taal at sinundan agad ng pandemya na ating nilalabanan halos walong buwan na hanggang ngayon. Sa nakalipas na mga buwan, tayo ay naging balisa, natatakot dahil walang kasiguraduhan kung ano ang mangyayari sa atin, sa ating mga kakilala at kaibigan, sa ating pamilya at mga mahal sa buhay, natatakot dahil hindi natin alam at baka bukas tayo na rin ang mahawa ng kinatatakutang sakit na COVID-19. Halos walong buwan na ang nakalipas mula nang ma-lockdown ang karamihan sa atin at di natin lubos maisip na ang mundong ating ginagalawan, ang masaya at masiglang komunidad kung saan tayo ay napapabilang, ang bayang punong-puno ng sigla at saya ay bigla na lang naging parang “ghost town” walang taong lumabas sa kanilang tahanan, lahat ay natatakot lumabas. Paano na ang ating bukas?
(The past few months have been a great challenge for all of us. Almost as early as the year 2020, many trials have come into our lives; there was the eruption of Taal Volcano and it was immediately followed by the pandemic that we have been fighting for almost eight months until now. In recent months, we have become anxious, scared because there is no certainty of what will happen to us, our acquaintances and friends, our family and loved ones, scared because we do not know and tomorrow we too may be infected by the dreaded COVID-19 disease. It has been almost eight months since most of us were locked down and we can hardly imagine the world we live in, the happy and vibrant community in which we belong, the people full of energy and joy all of a sudden became like a “ghost town” no one came out of their home, everyone was afraid to go out. How is our tomorrow?)

There is no certainty when and how our present situation will end as the days go by people are asking a lot of questions, we are not certain if tomorrow or the next months we are still here in this world, only one thing is certain in our lives and that is the love of God for all of us. As long as there is love, as long as there is God, anything and everything is possible.

Kaninang umaga po ay nagkaroon tayo ng motorcade ng imahen ng Mahal na Birhen bilang hudyat ng simula ng ating siyam na araw ng pagdarasal. At habang binabaybay naming ang mga kalye at ang ruta ng motorcade, marami sa ating gma kapatid ang sumubaybay sa ating livestreaming, nag-abang sa tabi ng daan sa labas ng kanilang mga tahanan, kumakaway at alam kung may mga dasal na binabanggit sa ating Mahal na Ina. Napabulong din ako sa akiong sarili at nagdasal sa Mahal na Ina ng mga katagang ito “Mahal na Ina, nawa ay matapos na ang digmaang ito na kinahaharap ng iyong bayang mahal.”
(This morning we had a motorcade of the image of the Blessed Virgin as a sign of the beginning of our nine days of prayer. And as we traversed the streets and the motorcade route, many of our brothers and sisters followed our livestreaming, lurking by the side of the road outside their homes, waving and knowing if there were any prayers being said to our Beloved Mother. I also whispered to myself and prayed to the Blessed Mother with these words “Dear Mother, may this war facing your beloved people be over.”)

Kung inyo pong napapansin, hindi nakaluklok ang Imahen ng Mahal na Ina sa kanyang Baldachino o sa kanyang napakagandang trono sa taong ito, sa halip, siya ay nakasakay an sa kanyang Karosa na pormang bangka, parang ito ay nagpapahiwatig na siya’y handang-handa nang pumalaot at suungin ang mga malalaking alon, ang mga kalabang hindi natin nakikita, ang matagal na nagpapahirap sa ating lahat at sa ating bayan.
(If you notice, the Image of the Blessed Mother is not enthroned on her Baldachino or on her magnificent throne this year, instead, she is riding in her Boat-shaped Carroza, as if to indicate that she is ready when they sail and overtake the big waves, the enemies we do not see, the long-suffering of all of us and our people.)

From whom shall we ask for help, to whom shall we run and beg for the necessary aids that we really need in these most trying moments of our lives?

Sa karaniwang tagpo ng ordinaryong buhay, kapag nandiyan ang ating mga magulang, lalo na ang ating Ina, pakiramdam natin tayo ay ligtas. Walang pwedeng manakot o manakit sa atin kapag nandiyan si inay.
(In the usual scene of ordinary life, when our parents are there, especially our Mother, we feel safe. No one can intimidate or hurt us when our mother is there.)

We are always certain that our Mother will protect us.

Hinding hindi tayo mapapahamak, hinding hindi tayo mapapahiya kapag nandiyan ang ating Ina. A Mother will always assure us that things will go smoothly, that everything will be okay no matter how uncertain and afraid we are. Andiyan lang si Inay, di ako mapapahamak.
(We will never be in danger, we will never be ashamed when our Mother is there… Mom is just there, I will not be harmed.)

At the wedding at Cana, Mary approached Jesus and told him they have no more wine before this happened the servants approached Mary and this drama occurred. They blessed and asked them for one thing “do whatever he tells you” and everything went well, everybody ate and drank and have their fill. It is also in this time of crisis that we are begging for the intercession of the Blessed Mother so that the present crisis may end soon and we have to heed his request from us; follow her Son.

Sinasabi ngayon ng Mahal na Ina sa ating lahat “wala nang patumpik-tumpik pa, wala nang kung ano pang alibi, just follow my Son.”
(The Blessed Mother now tells all of us “there is no more flaking, no more alibi, just follow my Son.”)
It is in following the commands of Jesus that we are given or granted what we are asking or begging from him in our prayers it is in being obedient to the will of God that we will be able to survive in the coming days.

We celebrate this year’s La Naval festivities with the theme “Maria: Ina ng Pag-asa, kagalingan at pagkakaisa” Mary is our Mother of Hope, she is Our Lady, Health of the Sick and she unites us all her children in this time of great crisis in our country and the whole world because of this pandemic, many of us are losing our hope, many are getting sick and others eventually died many have become indifferent to the need of others, we are encouraged once again to approach the Blessed Mother and ask her intercession.

Sa bawat Aba Ginoong Maria na ating sinasambit, sa bawat Rosaryo na ating dinadasal, nawa’y maging tulay ito para maging mapalapit tayo kay Hesus sa pamamagitan ni Maria. Sa kahit anumang laban ng buhay, lagi nating alalahanin na ang Rosaryo ay ang pinakamabisang sandata ng ating buhay. Huwag nating pagdududahan ang pagmamahal ng Inang Maria sa ating lahat.
(In every Hail Mary we say, in every Rosary we pray, may it be a bridge so that we may draw closer to Jesus through Mary. In any battle of life, let us always remember that the Rosary is the most effective weapon of our lives. Let us not doubt the love of Mother Mary for all of us.)

Never give up on hope, never doubt never get, tired in our prayers, never become discouraged, do not be afraid, always trust, always hope and always believe that she is always with us, ready to help her beloved children.

Tatapusin ko po ang aking maikling pagninilay sa isang panalangin: Mahal naming Ina, Birhen ng Santo Rosaryo ng La Naval, Ikaw ang aming pag-asa, Ikaw ang aming kagalingan at ikaw ang nagbubuklod sa aming lahat upang kami ay magkakaisa. ipamagitan mo kami sa iyong anak na si Hesus na aming Panginoon. Amen.
(I will conclude my short meditation with a prayer: Dear Mother, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of La Naval, You are our hope, You are our healing and you are the one who unites us all so that we may be united. Intercede for us with your Son, Jesus our Lord. Amen.)