the feast of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia

Commission on Vocation

Theme:

PEÑAFRANCIA:  Imitating Mary’s humble service in the year of the clergy and consecrated persons.

By: Sem Cordial

Reflection:

       As we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, we also commemorate the day that our Ina came to us. Now what does the theme mean? It means that we should also imitate what Mary is doing for us, in the feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, she also helps us in our needs and for our intentions that we ask her in this fiesta. Like Ina, the priests also use their lives to sacrifice or offer us to God, they cleanse us from our sins and, they also sacrifice their lives so that the church may live and reign forever. We know that the church is undergoing the so called “persecution” in this modern times but yet, Ina helps us to overcome these challenges and problems like what she is doing for us right now, you may think that Ina is not doing anything but she is actually in heaven praying to the Father, hearing our intentions, and taking care of us in our physical and spiritual battles. The humble service which is being described here is that Ina gave everything that she has that she may help us, she can just enjoy herself right now and exclaim “I am the mother of God! I need not help these people, they deserve to suffer.” But, she even sacrifices herself so that we can just be forgiven. The hard-headedness of humankind made us into who we are right now, greedy, selfish, stupid... With the help of our beloved Ina, she prays for us that we may be forgiven even when the chronology of Our Lady of Fatima said that “My beloved son will forgive you people but only little for my Son is not satisfied.” This means that Jesus, somehow is losing hope that we may change and He may not grant us peace and prosperity but Ina is begging to Her Son that we may be forgiven for our sins. This is why some priests said that “Mary is not coming in this world (apparitions, etc.) to say hi or to heal us, but she also, like some other prophets gives us warning.” As we celebrate the fiesta of Ina this year for the clergy, we also pray that Ina may heal us and grant peace to this world and that humility and prosperity may reign again. So, are you ready to proclaim the faith to the nations for Christ and the church?