Nuns praying at EDSA during the historic People Power I in 1986
“Marcos, patalsikin! Diktador! Tuta!”
28 years ago, millions of Filipinos flocked at the Epifano Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) to oust former president Ferdinand Marcos. I missed this historical event because I was born in 1989. I can only watch and read about it on the news and documentaries. One of the most powerful images of the EDSA People Power I is when two nuns prayed the rosary in front of an army tank which was supposed to disperse the people from EDSA. According to my professor, the most symbolic and prominent object during EDSA I was the rosary. Masses and praying of rosary were held from time to time invoking the intercession of the Blessed Mother eventually led to the fleeing of the dictator. It was as if the hand of God moved and sent the Blessed Mother to embrace the dying soul of our country. Thus, after a few years a shrine and image of Mama Mary along EDSA was built in her honor as a sign of gratitude for being with her children on a fight that was not very easy. Truly, Mama Mary played a big role in the Philippine history as she served as its compassionate mother.
Since his election as a successor of St. Peter, Pope Francis showed us literally how it is to be a spiritual father. We saw him bow down before a crowd to show humility. One of the things I like with this Pope is that he is never afraid to embrace changes. He was the first Pontiff ever to kiss the feet of those went against the law, the sick, and yes even Muslims one Holy Thursday. More than a year ago our country was struck by the strongest typhoon in human history to ever hit the land, Super Typhoon Yolanda. The typhoon cleared every town than she hit leaving a dramatic scene. One would ask, “Why did God allow this to happen?”
Pope Francis embraces Cardinal Chito Tagle
Several weeks after the disaster, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle went to the Vatican and celebrated Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. I was moved when I saw Pope Francis embraced Cardinal Chito who was then emotional after praying for the victims of the typhoon. That was the embrace of a father! I too felt comforted just seeing that embrace from the television. Pope Francis said, “In these moments of suffering, do not be afraid to ask God, ‘Why?’, just like children.” Pope Francis also said that when children ask their parents ‘why?’ what they are really asking for is love. A few months passed, the Church hierarchy in the country announced that the Holy Father wants to visit the country and see our situation after the typhoon. In the recent news, the organizers announced that the Pope will use a non-air-conditioned papal mobile when on his visit. It only proves that Pope Francis is very much willing to embrace each of us in order to show his compassion to the Philippines which he once called “the Land of the saints.”
Pope Francis pays homage to the statue of St. Mary of Fatima at the end of the Marian prayer in St. Peter’s square at the Vatican
On the 1st of January 2015 we will celebrate not only the New Year but also the Solemnity of Mary as “Theotokos” which means Mary as the Mother of God. Two weeks after that, we will receive the Vicar of Christ, Pope Francis. I pray that on January 1 Filipinos will recall how the Mother of God joined them in prayer during People Power I and that this remembering will lead us to unity once again. And I hope that the Apostolic Visit of Pope Francis will bring out the spirit of mercy and compassion among Filipinos. May these two important persons in the Church inspire my fellow countrymen to be agents of compassion in the country as they too have been.