“THE LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days; through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear.”
The above passage narrates how our infirmities and sufferings can be a call to follow Jesus. Whenever I would get sick, I tell myself God reminds me to share in his sufferings and rest in the Lord. I always feared suffering, pain and defeat and loss. But this is what Jesus teaches me. In the eyes of the world, the Leader, the King, they expected, even His disciples; would see defeat by suffering crucifixion.
This past week has been very difficult because of Covid. The Delta variant has caused numerous deaths and those infirmed in homes, quarantined and in isolation and in hospitals. We have high hopes with 600 people marked to celebrate the mass at Fort Pilar for our annual fiesta. Then came the NIATF warning to refrain from the mass gathering because of the surge. Plans cancelled and changed. On October 11, it rained very hard and I woke up very early worried for everyone. Vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez assured me of the National Government's support.
I worked the whole day in the cold rainy weather. Then came the request of a frontliner, a son to a mother. Dr. Jonathan Tamin requested his mom Monette Ferrer Tamin if the Image of La Virgen del Pilar can be brought to the Hospitals instead, since there was no procession this year. I called Derick Evangelista, who as a college student, would arrange for the confetti for Mama Mary to be sprinkled from the tall buildings.
By 6:30 p.m. it was drizzling, Micheal Angelo Saavedra, Alvin Hung, Dynah Bacera Gochuco, Kenneth Pia, Christian Olasiman and Team with Mary, Garnette and the Family, Security forces led by Col. Rojas and PNP Traffic Head Raymond Sanson had a night of procession in the dark wet Visperas de Fiesta. We prayed the rosary and in each Hospital prayed for the sick. Just like Bishop Moi's Visit of Corpus Cristi in 2020 we entered ZCMC. In the Covid ward a woman waved her hands to Mary our Mother and Jesus. Tears would roll down our eyes. We brought her to the Fortaleza where She was received by Fr. Armand Aquino and Fr. Jovel Palermo and volunteers Dinggay, Pao and devotees. The shrine was so beautiful and serene.
On October 12, Fiesta Pilar was totally different. The past traditions had to be revised, with disappointment and difficulty. In mass Fr. Richard Ella, S.J.'s homily was meaningful. "I DID MY BEST. BUT I GUESS MY BEST WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" James Ingram Song. The homily was St. James, Santiago who was discouraged in his mission in Spain lamented. It was here where Our Lady appeared in the River Ebro to assure him of Spain's conversion. From Zaragoza, Our Lady of the Pilar is our Patron in Zamboanga City.
Sis Larpi says from Rio Ebro to Rio Hondo, she is our Mother. At midnight, we lit our candles with Fr. Armand blessing the Security Forces. I went to the City Hall and offered our beloved Zamboanga City to Mary our Mother with Jesus. Sweeping the confetti past midnight was my farewell for the last Fiesta as Mayor. "For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
This week has taught me to take on the cup of Jesus and share in His
sufrimientos para el salvacion de todo. Un servidor pone una el bienestar de
todo antes de cuerpo maski pa tiene difficultad y possible perdicion. Ansina
tambien el Senior Hesus, na ojos del mundo he failed. But his failure meant our
salvation. This second year of the Pandemic, Mary our Mother with Jesus visited
the Hospitals transcending tradition because our Mother and our Lord shares in
our suffering and would bring our Salvation! (MBC)
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