(Portraits of martyrs lined up in an exhibit at the Miguel De Benavides Library. Photo by Mei Terrenz Provido.)
22 September 2015, 8:47 pm – MARTYRDOM through corporal actions is
the greatest act of selfless offering.
This was the message of Fr. Louie
Coronel, O.P., editor at Boletin Ecclesiastico de Filipinas,
the interdiocesan bulletin published by the University, during the Holy Mass
for UST Martyrs’ Day last Sept. 21.
In his homily, Fr. Coronel said the
essence of martyrdom is emphasized upon following the Lord’s path. “We are
called to stand up and follow the Lord. There is no need to be a martyr. Basta
galing sa puso, paraan na rin ng pagbibigay ng buhay `yun,” he said.
The enthronement of the image of San
Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint and martyr, took place within the Mass,
ahead of his feast day on Sept. 28.
Robert Reyes, Martyrs’ Day project
head, said martyrdom does not necessarily involve death. “Ang martyrdom
kasi it’s not about the big things. It’s about ordinariness. We are trying
to portray what the martyrs did,” he said in an interview.
Theological Society President Junel
Fuentes likewise said martyrdom is still manifested in the present through
simple day-to-day actions.
“Naipapakita pa rin naman ang martyrdom ngayon
kaso hindi natin napapansin, kasi ang mentality natin, when
we think of helping others, we think of something bigger,” Fuentes said.
Prior the Mass, an exhibit featuring
the saints and martyrs produced by UST was opened at the Miguel De Benavides
Library. Krystel Nicole A. Sevilla
