Bishop Julito Cortes of the Diocese of Dumaguete has exhorted the Catholic faithful to live a life full of joy and hope just as the Holy Father, Pope Francis, has emphasized in his message during Monday’s celebration of the Lunar New Year.
Bishop Cortes presided over the concelebrated mass Monday at the Mary Immaculate Church in Dumaguete City which was marked by Chinese New Year traditional practices such as a dragon dance and the rite of ancestral veneration.
In his homily, the Dumaguete prelate highlighted the innate goodness of man, being created in the image and likeness of God as well as sharing in the divinity of Jesus as children of God.
“This is a reminder to us that while we may be human and mortal, because God brought us forth into the earth, we are sharers in the divine nature”, Cortes stressed.
According to Cortes, this is a cause for joy and hope for “God is a God of mercy and He will never abandon us for we belong to Him”.
The prelate went on to say that because Jesus is the light, the people, therefore, will never be “overwhelmed by darkness”, even though at times there are moments of darkness.
Bishop Cortes, while offering his prayer to the congregation for a “life of joy and hope”, also asked the same from them, saying “I also need that”.
He also called on the people to be rooted in God, for it is “from God we came and to God we shall return”.
It is also imperative that people return to the roots of their individual families as well as the bigger family, referring to the community.
There are those who do not believe or trust in God anymore, and do not see the need to pray and worship, Bishop Cortes lamented.
The challenge now is for the people to reach out to others, for to live a life full of joy and hope means “a life of solidarity and communion with others,” Cortes pointed out.
He ended his homily with a reflection on Pope Francis’ message via live feed to the recently concluded 51st International Eucharistic Congress held in Cebu, specifically on the missionary dimension of Jesus Christ at the Last Supper.
The two points are “table fellowship” and “washing of the feet”, which are reflective of communion and service, Cortes said.
“Both entail humility, sacrifice and dying to one’s self. If we do this, we are fulfilling the call of the Holy Father,” the 59-year old prelate accentuated.
“May we continue to reach out to others and be of great service to the people”, Bishop Cortes appealed to the churchgoers. (PNA)
