February 13, 2024 | Information Office
Archbishop Jose Palma delivered this Homily for the Holy Mass of the Eucharistic Floral Procession 2024 held at the LH Foundation Gymnasium of PAREF Springdale School last February 8, 2024.
Fr. Nonong, Fr. Carlo, our reverend deacons, members of the administration, members of the faculty, and especially you, our dear students, here at PAREF Springdale.
I made mention that I’m very happy to be able to celebrate this Mass with you, on this date. I will deliver a short Homily in this Mass and at the conclusion of our profession, you prepared so well, beautiful flowers, like carpets, and I will give a short message.
From today’s Gospel, I would like to invite you to reflect on the message of the love of the Mother, the love of the parent, and the love of Jesus. If we reflect on the Gospel, then we know how much the mother loved her daughter – the daughter was singing and she went to Jesus.
In this connection, I would like you to reflect on the love of your mother or the love of your parents for you. And just like this woman, the desire, the longing for something that could bring about healing for the daughter or something good for you.
I say this because, at the end of this Mass or when you go home, I would like you, our dear students, to thank your parents for sending you to PAREF Springdale. To me, it is an expression of their love. I’m saying this, because I am not from Cebu, I was not born here, I came from Iloilo. Of course, there’s another school like yours in Iloilo run by Opus Dei.
But I mentioned our place because, when they think of the love of the parents, I will always treasure the fact that, when we were like you, especially when we were in Grade 8 to 12, they tell us that our town is a small town, and there are four high schools. But they tell us, “You study in the School run by the religious.” In our town, it’s Mater Carmeli High School.
Why do they want us to be formed or to study in a Catholic institution? Their reason is, in other schools perhaps, they might give us academic formation. But they were saying, in that Catholic school, we are given an excellent academic formation plus spiritual and moral formation. I say this because to me, this is a wonderful expression of the love of parents for their children.
And so today, I repeat, that you remember this Mass, when you remember the Gospel, remember the love of a parent for her daughter and her search for something that could bring her healing and something good.
And so my request is when you go home today, say thank you to your parents for sending you to PAREF Springdale. Is that okay? Okay, yes. Very good. That’s the first point.
The second point is about the love of Jesus. Those who study the Bible would know that the woman is not an Israelite. At that time, the Israelites thought that God was sent to save only the Israelites. The others, they are pagans, they come from other regions, they are not sure whether God loves them. Today, that story reveals God’s love for all.
In a rather strange way, Jesus made an analogy, diba, the food is only meant to be given to the children. And the woman said, “Yes, master.” But sometimes, they are not given to the dogs. But the woman said, Yeah, but sometimes the dog also shares from those that fell from the master’s table, meaning if that really is a big chunk of food, bisag ginagmay lang, basta we can share – great faith. And Jesus healed her daughter. A simple reminder. Today, we are reminded: God loves all of us. Amen. And that’s a reminder for all of us.
Therefore, it is an invitation for us to love each other because God loves us. I take occasion, of course, to thank our brother priests in the Society of the Opus Dei. Before the Mass, I was telling Fr. Carlo, Fr. Nonong. One time I was in Rome and on Wednesday, we usually join the Audience. And one bishop who followed me said, “Arch. Palma, how come there are 20 of us, How come it’s only you that the Holy Father embraced?” And I said, “You know what, because I told the pope, ‘Santo Padre, oggi è il mio compleanno,’ “Holy Father, today is my birthday.” And the pope said, “Is that so?” And I said, “Yes.” And the pope hugged me.
After that, I also visited the tomb of St. Josemaría Escrivá, because I am with some priests who studied also in Spain. I mention that because this year, on my birthday, I will be in Rome. I might see the good Pope before my birthday, and I will mention again that I need his blessing because soon after that will be my birthday. But I linked it with my visit to the tomb of St. Josemaría Escrivá. I know I am friends with the community. Anyway, I mentioned them because I know that their ministry is their way of reading of God, the love of God, sharing the love of God, sharing the vision of the founder, St. Josemaría Escrivá, Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, and of course, the whole community.
We continue this Mass, and let us pray, even as here you have presented the family. Even up the wall is “God, Family, Team.” Even as I remember that for the first time during the fluvial procession, the image of Jesus, Mary and Joseph were all in one boat, Holy Family. We pray for your family. We asked the Holy Family to intercede for you. And let’s pray that your formation here would make you, in the future, wonderful persons, filled with the love of God for your family, and certainly, an asset that will bring contribution for the community and the Church.
To all of you, I say again, good morning. God bless you, your family and PAREF Springdale community. Amen.