God is carrying us (Santo Niño)

Today we gather in joy, color, and song. We carry the image of the Santo Niño, we dance, we shout “Pit Señor!”, and we fill our streets and churches with faith. But before anything else, let us pause and ask: Why are we really here?

We are here because we are grateful. As we carry the image of the Santo Niño, we are reminded of a deeper truth: long before we carried Him, God has been carrying us. Through poverty and sickness, through disasters and disappointments, through family struggles and personal failures—we are still here because we are beloved children of God.

Our gathering today is not only a celebration; it is a thanksgiving of survivors, of people who have been held by God even when life was heavy. Like children in the arms of a loving parent, we come before the Santo Niño with grateful hearts.

Three invitations for us in this celebration:

Invitation to Humility: Surrender and Trust in the God Who Cares

In the Gospel, Jesus places a child in the center and says: “Unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:3).

A child is humble—not because he is weak, but because he trusts completely. A child knows he depends on another.

Many of our struggles as Filipinos come from carrying burdens alone:
• worrying endlessly about tomorrow, about health, about work...

The Santo Niño teaches us humility, not as shame, but as surrender—the courage to place our lives again in God’s hands.

To be childlike is to say:
“Lord, You know my struggles. I trust You. I surrender.” This fiesta invites us to return to that trust, to kneel again, and to believe that the God who carried us before will carry us still.

Invitation to Responsibility: Caring for Children in Today’s Difficult World

Jesus continues: “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me” (Mt 18:5).

To honor the Santo Niño is not only to honor an image, but to protect real children—especially today, when they face so many dangers:
• hunger and lack of education,
• broken families and absent parents,
• confusion from social media, violence, and false values.

In our devotion, Jesus reminds us: How we treat children reveals how we receive Him.

This is a call to parents, families, communities, and the Church: a call to listen more, to guide patiently, to create safe homes and spaces of faith.

A society that truly loves the Santo Niño must also defend the dignity, innocence, and future of its children.

Invitation to Maturity of Faith: Beyond Sinulog, Toward Daily Witness

Finally, Jesus’ call to become childlike is not a call to remain immature. Our devotion must grow.

The Santo Niño invites us to a faith that matures— from celebration to conversion,.from dance to daily discipleship.

Sinulog is beautiful. Our dances are prayers. But the Santo Niño also asks:

• How do you live after the music stops?
• How do you witness in your workplace, family, and community?
• Do you choose honesty over corruption, forgiveness over anger, love over sin?

A mature faith is seen not only in fiestas, but in faithfulness— when we choose what is right, even when it is hard.

Conclusion: Today, as we carry the image of the Santo Niño, let us remember that we gather in gratitude because God has first carried us. Beyond our sinulog dances we are called to humble trust in His loving care, we are entrusted with the responsibility of caring for the young, and we are invited to a faith that grows and witnesses daily.

May our cry “Pit Señor!” not end today, but echo in the way we live, love, and hope.

Viva Santo Niño! Pit Señor!

Baptized into Communion, Participation, and Mission (Baptism of the Lord A)

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.  Let us take this as an opportunity for the appreciation of our own baptism in our call to journey as a synodal Church.

In today's Gospel (Mt 3:13-17), Jesus comes to John at the Jordan. John hesitates, saying he is unworthy. Yet Jesus insists: "Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (v. 15 ). Jesus enters the waters not because He needs repentance, but because He chooses to stand with us—sharing our human condition and embracing the Father's saving will.

And then something beautiful happens. "The heavens were opened, the Spirit of God descended like a dove, and a voice came from heaven, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased'" (vv. 16-17 ).

What happens to Jesus at the Jordan reveals what baptism means—for Him and for us. From this flow the three pillars of synodality: communion, participation, and mission .

Baptism draws us into COMMUNION: We are God's beloved sons and daughters

When Jesus rises from the waters, the Father declares: "This is my beloved Son" (v. 17).    Before Jesus performs a miracle or preaches a sermon, He is first affirmed in love.

Have we ever paused to ask: Who am I, really, in the eyes of God? Before our titles, professions, or roles in the Church—do we remember that we are first God's beloved?

In baptism, we are given a new identity. We are no longer strangers or outsiders. We become sons and daughters of God, members of one Body in Christ (cf. Rom 6:3-5). This is the foundation of communion .

Synodality begins here. A Church that walks together is possible only when we truly believe that we belong to one another. There is no "us" and "them" in the Church—only the baptized journeying together.

If we truly live our baptismal communion, then we must ask: Do I see others in the Church as brothers and sisters, or as rivals and outsiders? Communion calls us to overcome division, listen with respect, and build unity—starting in our families, parishes, and communities.

Baptism calls us to PARTICIPATION: All are given a voice and a role

After Jesus' baptism,"the Spirit of God descended upon him"(Mt. 3:16). This moment marks the beginning of His public ministry. The Spirit does not come for decoration—but for mission.

So let us ask: If we have received the same Spirit in baptism and confirmation, why do we sometimes act as if the Church belongs only to a few? Why do some remain silent, while others carry everything?

Through baptism, every believer is anointed by the Spirit and gifted with charisms for the good of all (cf. 1 Cor 12:4-7) Participation is not a privilege; it is a baptismal responsibility.

This is why synodality insists on listening—especially to voices often unheard. The Church walks together when all are allowed to speak, discern, and serve according to the gifts God has given them.

Participation invites us to ask: Where is God calling me to be involved? It may mean offering time, talent, or wisdom—joining parish ministries, engaging in formation, or simply speaking with honesty and love when discernment is needed.

Baptism sends us on MISSION: We are co-responsible for God's saving work

After the Jordan, Jesus does not remain by the river. He goes out—to proclaim the Kingdom, heal the broken, and lay down His life. Baptism always leads outward.

By baptism, all of us share in Christ's priestly, prophetic, and kingly mission (cf. 1 Pet 2:9).  Mission is not reserved for clergy or religious. The laity, too, are missionaries—in homes, workplaces, schools, and society. A synodal Church does not walk together for comfort. It walks together so that together it may be sent.

Mission challenges us to ask: Where am I sent today?  It may be in caring for the poor, witnessing to honesty at work, nurturing faith at home, or standing for truth in society. Living our baptism means allowing our faith to shape how we live and serve.

Conclusion. Today the heavens open once more—not only over the Jordan, but over our lives. At our baptism, God spoke our name and called us beloved.

May we never forget that  synodality begins at the baptismal font —where communion is born, participation is entrusted, and mission is ignited. Renewed by our baptism, may we truly walk together as a Church that listens, serves, and goes forth with joy.

Star of Hope (Epiphany Sunday A)

When did giving hope become wrong?

I recall an episode of the TV series Honesto . In one powerful scene, Lourdes—the adoptive mother—is anxious because her son longs to know his real father. She is disturbed that people around the child are giving him hope. Then her old father, Lemuel, gently but firmly confronts her and asks: "When did it become bad to give hope?" Lourdes answers defensively, "When you know there is no hope!" But Lemuel looks at her and says with wisdom: "There is always hope. Just be afraid of losing the child."

That question echoes in our hearts today: When did hope become something to fear?

The Feast of the Epiphany gives us a clear answer: it is never wrong to give hope. What is wrong is extinguishing hope out of fear, insecurity, or selfishness.

Star of Hope in a Dark World. In today's Gospel (Mt 2:1-12), a star appears—a star of hope . It leads the wise men through darkness, uncertainty, and long journeys until they find the Child, Jesus. This star announces that God has entered history , that light has broken into the night, and that salvation is not only for Israel but for all nations .

Yet not everyone welcomed this hope.

King Herod, the most powerful man in the land, was deeply troubled. Why? Because hope threatens those who cling to power, control, and fear. What was good news for the poor and the searching became a danger for the insecure. So Herod plotted death instead of welcoming life.

Here we see a painful truth: hope can be resisted —especially by those who benefit from darkness.

The Enemies of Hope: Fear, Resignation, and Pessimism. If we are honest, sometimes we are like Herod . Sometimes we are like Lourdes before her awakening. We hesitate to allow others to hope.

What are the enemies of hope today?

Fatalistic resignation : "This is just life." We tell ourselves and others that poverty, corruption, injustice, and violence are unchangeable—that this is our destiny.

Defeatist pessimism : We no longer believe that honesty can triumph, that leaders can be accountable, that peace is possible. Everything is mocked, doubted, and dismissed.

Crab mentality and fear of being left behind : When someone tries to rise, to change, to dream, we pull them down—because their hope exposes our own fear.

These attitudes become especially dangerous amid the current struggles of our country--- corruption that steals from the future of our children;  workers and farmers barely surviving;  families burdened by rising prices and job insecurity;  young people tempted to leave the country—or worse, to give up on life.

When hope is crushed, despair grows. And despair is not from God.

Becoming Missionaries and Stars of Hope. The Epiphany invites us to make a choice: Will we be Herods—or wise men?

The wise men did not stop at darkness. They journeyed . They searched . They trusted the light they were given , even if it was just a star.
Hope is not passive. Hope walks. Hope seeks. Hope believes that God is already at work, even when we do not yet see the full picture.

Pope Francis, in his Bull for the Jubilee of Hope, reminds us: "Hope does not disappoint, because it is born of love and grounded in the love that flows from the pierced heart of Jesus." This is why Christian hope survives corruption, poverty, and suffering—because it is anchored not in politics or power, but in Christ.

To be Christians today is to be missionaries of hope : In our families, by refusing to give up on one another; in our communities, by choosing honesty over convenience; in our nation, by believing that change is possible and working for it; in our Church, by pointing people not to ourselves, but to Christ.

When we carry Christ in our hearts, we ourselves become stars —guiding those who are lost, comforting those who are tired, and reminding those in darkness that God has not abandoned them.

It is never wrong to give hope. Hope is lost only when we surrender to fear and despair. As we celebrate this Epiphany, may we seek the Lord like the wise men and dare to become bearers of hope in a wounded world. To those walking in darkness today, may they find light in us.

When did it become a bad thing to give hope? Never. Because our hope is the Lord.