18 April 2014, 7:10 p.m. – THE ORDER of Preachers once again led Filipino Catholics in reflecting on the Seven Last Words of Jesus Christ this Good Friday afternoon at Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City.
Reflecting on the first of Jesus’ last words, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” Fr. Roman Santos, O.P. of the Aquinas College of Legazpi, challenged the faithful to follow Christ’s example by forgiving and loving those who have wronged them.
“Ang hamon sa atin ay hindi lang basta magpatawad, kundi mahalin ang taong pinatawad natin,” Santos said. “Forgive the sinner and forget the sin. ‘Yun ang tamang ginagawa ng isang nagpapatawad.”
Santos added that forgiveness can only be given with the help of “grace from Heaven.” “Ang pagpapatawad ay nangangailangan ng grasya mula sa kalangitan. Mahirap, pero hindi imposible,” he said.
Giving his insights on the second of the last words of Jesus on the Cross, “Today, you will be with me in paradise,” Fr. Enrico Gonzales, O.P. of the UST Faculty of Philosophy said the poor have a special place in paradise.
Citing the example of the thief crucified beside Christ, Gonzales said the poor deserve God’s mercy as a form of justice.
“Nakita ng Diyos ang pagnanakaw ni Demas. Pero higit pa na nakita ng Diyos ang puso niya. May isang katangiang lumitaw ng buong ningning, ito ay ang pagiging dukha niya.”Gonzales said. “Ang katarungan ng Diyos sa mga dukha ay awa.”
However, Gonzales said the case of “rich thieves” are entirely different. He criticized politicians involved in recent issues of corruption, saying that their material wealth won’t lead them to Paradise.
“Nakakalimutan ng mga taong mayayaman na’t nagnanakaw pa na ang buhay dito ay isa lamang paglalakbay,” he said.
In the third saying, “Woman, behold your Son; Son, Behold your Mother,” Fr. Paul Julius Factora, O.P., regent of the UST College of Nursing, called the Blessed Virgin Mary the “epitome” of a loving mother.
“Ang Mahal na Birheng Maria ay makapagdudugtong ng buhay sa isang Simbahan na kung minsan ay pinanghihinaan ng pananampalataya sa gitna ng batikos,” he said.
Fr. Carmelo Arada of the Dominican Clerical Fraternity of the Philippines reflected on the fourth of the last words, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me,” saying that God is always present in the deeds of His people.
“May sagot sa tanong na ‘Nasaan si Hesus? Ikaw at ako ang patunay na hindi kahit kailanman nagpapabaya ang Diyos,” Arada said.
Arada also challenged Catholics to serve as channels of God’s love and presence here on earth. “Iparinig at ipadama natin ang Diyos sa mga naghahangad na maramdaman Siya. Iparinig natin ang tinig ni Hesus. Ipakita natin ang mukha ni Hesus,” he said.
Representing the laity, Bro. Jun Banaag, O.P. of the Dominican Laity of the Philippines related the fifth of the last words of Jesus, “I thirst,” to the recent issues faced by the country.
Banaag, known as DZMM’s “Dr. Love,” said Jesus is thirsty for peace, love, and faith from his followers.
“Ang pagkauhaw ng Diyos ay dahil sa kawalan ng kapayapaan, hustisya, at pagtutulungan. Pagkauhaw sa mga tulong na dapat sana ay naibibigay sa oras ng pangangailangan,”Banaag said. “Uhaw ang Diyos sa kapayapaan ng pamilyang binubuo ng anak at magulang na babae at lalake, hindi ng lalake at lalake. Uhaw ang Diyos sa mga tunay na mananampalataya at bininyagang Kristiyano na magbibigay-buhay sa Kanyang mga salita.”
Preaching on Jesus’ sixth word on the Cross, “It is finished,” Rev. John Stephen Besa, O.P. of the Santo Domingo Convent urged the laity to love, give, and forgive.
“Ang buhay ng Panginoon ay umiikot sa pagmamahal. Wagas ang kanyang pagmamahal kahit na sa mga taong hindi siya pinaniniwalaan. Ang buhay ng Panginoon ay buhay na mapagbigay. Labis-labis ang kanyang pagbibigay sa mga nangangailangan,” Besa said. “Ganapin mo rin sa buhay mo ang wagas na pagmamahal, labis na pagbibigay at paspas na pagpapatawad.”
Capping the Siete Palabras was Fr. Rodel Aligan, O.P. of the UST Ecclesiastical Faculties, who said that endings, like the ending of Jesus’ life here on earth, are “beginnings of beautiful things.”
“The end of a promise is the beginning of fulfilment, the end of doubt and fear, beginning of security, and death is a beginning of a new life somewhere,” Aligan said.
The UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe, Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir, Letran Filipiniana Dance Troupe, Tining-Ang Koro ng Letran Calamba, Samu’t-sari Theather Group, and Daniw Dance Collective performed song and dance numbers in between reflections.
The Dominican-led “Siete Palabras,” now on its 19th year, is considered the longest-running Holy Week program on Philippine television, aired nationwide by GMA Network. It originally began in the 1980s, but the Dominicans started preaching it at Sto. Domingo in 1995.
