“It is like Jesus journeying to the desert but not only for 40 days but for months and years,” Bishop Ruperto Santos of the Diocese of Balanga and CBCP-ECMI chair, said. Santos noted how each time someone leaves for a foreign land in search of brighter opportunities, there are always sad partings bringing loneliness to all.
“Like with what Jesus experienced, there are always temptations of marital unfaithfulness and change of religion. But as the angels ministered to Jesus, there are also those assisting and really helping the OFWs,” the bishop said.
To Catholics, the first Sunday of Lent commemorates that the “Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert and remained in the desert for 40 days.”
The Bataan prelate said priests during this season omit “Gloria” during the celebration of the Holy Mass.
“There is no ‘Alleluia’ and even vestments of priests and altar cloths are violet. All these connote silence, solicitude. It is a gloomy and sad atmosphere,” Santos said.
The First Sunday of Lent is also national Migrants Sunday where the celebration was held at the Canosa College in San Pablo City, Laguna with the Diocese of San Pablo as the national host. Bishop Buenaventura Famadico was the main celebrant while Santos was the homilist.
“With this national Migrants Sunday let us be the angels of OFWs, praying for their safety and stable jobs, imploring God that they may have good and generous employers,” the Bataan bishop said.
“We can be their angels as to protect them from unjust and inhuman treatment, to promote their rights and prosecute those who abused and made them suffered,” Santos added.
