ALARMED by what he described as a “crisis” of devotion among the youth, Quiapo Church Rector Fr. Rufino Sescon Jr. extolled the repetitive prayers of the rosary as a reminder of God’s love and presence each day.
At the Enthronement Mass in honor of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, Sescon lamented that Catholics have been using the rosary as a lucky charm.
“I used to be the youth minister of the Archdiocese of Manila and let’s admit it, the rosary is seen more as a charm and ornament to be hung or worn in order to obtain blessings, fortune, and protection,” he said in his homily on Thursday, Sept. 21.
Sescon urged young Catholics to pray the rosary despite the perception that it is “boring and repetitive.”
“The rosary invites us to discover the presence and message of God in the ordinary, repetitive, methodical, and routinary moment of life,” he said. “The discipline of the devotion teaches us that the grace of God is in the ordinary and daily grind of life.”
The Quiapo Church rector recalled his high school days at the Dominican-run Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Intramuros, Manila, where he developed a sense of commitment by praying the rosary daily.
“Naisip tuloy namin, magdala ka na lang ng rosaryo kaysa mag-aral ng mabuti. This routine did not just teach me discipline but discipleship. Loving and following the Lord is not just a one-time, big-time affair,” Sescon said.
(We thought of just bringing the rosary rather than studying well. This routine did not just teach me discipline but also discipleship. Loving and following the Lord is not just a one-time, big-time affair.)
Despite the inclement weather, the image of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary was brought from the UST Main Building to the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church.
The Enthronement Mass started the month-long activities for the Fiesta del Santisimo Rosario. Sheila May S. Balagan
