BALANGA CITY- Bishop Ruperto Cruz Santos of the Diocese of Balanga on Fridayissued a Diocesan Reflection on the State and Apostolic visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines on January 15 to 19, 2015.
The Bataan prelate said the Pope will be bringing to the Philippines God’s mercy and compassion. Santos is the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines committee chairman on transportation for the Papal visit 2015.
“Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Vicar of Christ on earth hears our longings, listens to our prayers and cries and attends to our needs. He comes to us to bring God’s love and mercy. His presence is God’s blessings. His words are God’s comfort. His actions are God’s saving works,” the Bataan bishop said.
The Pope will celebrate Holy Mass with the bishops, priests and religious at the Manila Cathedral at 11:15 a.m. on January 16. At the SM Arena, Mall of Asia, it will be a gracefilled encounter of families with him at 5:30 in the afternoon of the same day, he said.
Santos said that in the City of Tacloban on January 17 is the heart and highlight of the coming of Pope Francis who will celebrate open Holy Mass at the tarmac of the Taclobanairport. The Pope will have lunch with survivors at the archbishop’s residence in Palo, Leyte; lead in the blessing of the new chapel of Pope Francis Center for the Poor and meet with the priests, religious men and women at the Cathedral of Palo.
On January 18 at 10:30 a.m, the Holy Father will meet our young people at the University of Santo Tomas. The memorable and historic fiveday state and apostolic visit culminates with Holy Mass at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta at 3:30 p.m., Santos said.
“He comes for our poor, suffering and destitute survivors of Typhoon Yolanda. Pope Francis being with us reminds us that we are not alone in our predicaments, not abandoned in our sufferings and not forgotten during our misfortunes,” the Bataan bishop said.
Santos said God is with us in those moments, strengthening us so we can stand up again with Pope Francis giving us this hope, assuring us of God’s help and healing us and our land. In part, this is the Bishop’s Diocesan Reflection:
“Our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis, is on spiritual journey. It is his pilgrimage of solidarity and saving love for us shining brightly with his guiding theme of God’s endless mercy. With the coming of the Pope to our country, the good Holy Father is offering to us the gifts of God’s mercy which are tangible with the corporal works of presence, patience and compassion.
Mercy is God’s presence. God is always there for us, being with us. Even when we fail Him, or rebel against Him. God stays with us. God is always available. In every situation and condition in our life God is not away, not absent. He rejoices in our success and condoles with our sorrows. In our needs He fills what is lacking. When we stumble, He lifts us up.
With God’s mercy, He waits and welcomes us, He remains with us or walks us. He is ever present. With the coming of our Holy Father is powerful message that God is ever present in us, all around us and in all of us. We just have to lift our sight from our sorrows, form our sufferings, from our scars towards God, towards each one of us. And our Lord Jesus tells us, ‘come and see’ (John 1:39).
Mercy is God’s patience. God understand us and accepts us. Even we insist on our way and remain hard headed, God still does the first move to calm us down, to console us and to change us. We question His ways. We doubt His will. And we blame Him for natural calamities.
God is still so patient with us. He does not punish or condemn us. He continues to trust us and to invite us telling us ‘follow me’ (Mt. 9:9). Our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis reminds us that ‘God is always there, always waiting for us. He never grows tired. Jesus shows to us the merciful patience of God.’
Mercy is God’s passion. God bears our hardships. He takes up to Himself the burden of our sins. Though we are broken and bruised God binds us up. Though we suffered and sinned God builds us up. God is with us in our sorrows and during the storms in our life. And thus we experience His being in our passion. Thus we receive His compassion.
Our Holy Father is pontifex, a bridge builder for us and to God. Our beloved Holy Father comes to us to bridge us together as sons and daughters of God regardless of our color, creed and culture. Pope Francis comes to our country to bind and to build us together as brothers’ keepers (Genesis 4:9) and to perform good things ‘to these little ones’ (cfr. Mt 25:31-46).”