by Margaux Salcedo
Devotion, not obligation.
This was the message of His Eminence Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle in his homily for the Traslacion mass held on the eve of the Feast of the Black Nazarene. The Traslacion 2020 theme is "Iba’t ibang kaloob, Isang Debosyon, Tungo sa Isang Misyon" (Different Gifts yet One Devotion towards One Mission).
Tagle first reminded the public that the celebration centers on Christ - Jesus from Nazareth:
Pinagnilayan ko po (ang tema) batay sa ating mga pagbasa. At ang aking atensyon ay natutok kay Jesus. Siya naman ang sentro ng ating pagdiriwang - si Jesus na taga Nazareno; papaano niya isinabuhay ang ating tema.
I reflected on the theme based on our readings. And my attention zoned in on Christ, who is the center of our celebration: Jesus of Nazareth. How did he embody our theme?
Tagle reminded the crowd of Christ's own devotion: Christ died on the cross because he was devoted to God, His Father.
(Si) Jesus ...ang kaniyang loyalty ay sa Diyos Ama. Mayroon siyang debosyon sa Diyos na tinatawag niyang Ama. At ayon kay San Pablo ang kaniyang debosyon sa Ama ay ipinakita niya sa pagiging masunurin sa Ama hanggang kamatayan. Hindi lang ito kamatayan para kay Jesus. Ang kamatayan niya ay bunga ng kaniyang debosyon pagiging tapat
masunurin sa Ama.
Jesus ... his loyalty was to His Father. He had a devotion to God whom he called Father. And according to St. Paul, Christ showed this devotion through being obedient to his Father until his death. This was no ordinary death; this was a death borne out of his devotion, loyalty and obedience to his Father.
But, Tagle adds, Christ was also devoted to us.
Pero sinabi din sa Ebangheliyo na si Jesus ay may debosyon sa kapwa tao, sa atin. Sa katunayan, hinubad niya ang katangian ng pagiging Diyos para maging kapiling natin, maging kaisa natin. ... At dahil sa kaniyang debosyon sa kapwa tao binitawan niya ang kaniyang karangalan para lang makapiling tayo.
But the Gospel also says that Jesus was also devoted to mankind. In fact, he disrobed his godly stature just to be with us; he let go of honor just to be with us.
Our relationship with Christ should be one of devotion, not obligation
Debosyon hindi obligasyon. Ang taong kumikilos dahil lang sa obligasyon, masama ang loob mabigat ang loob; gagawin nga ang isang bagay (pero) kaladkad ang paa.
Devotion, not obligation. One who acts out of obligation does so with a heavy heart, dragging his feet.
(Ngunit) kahit hindi ako inaasahan ng obligasyon, kapag ako ay devoted, gagawin ko.
Kahit hubarin ang karangalan ay susunod ... dahil ang Ama ko ang nagsabi.
Yet even if I have no obligation, if I am devoted, I will do it, even if I am stripped of honor, I will obey ... because My Father said so.
Finally, Tagle shared the most humbling reflection of all: that God himself is devoted to us ... that He gave up His only son.
Sabi po sa Ebangheliyo, si Jesus ay ipinadala ng Ama, isinugo ng Diyos ang kaniyang anak. Si Jesus ay may misyon mula sa Ama. Bakit isinugo ng Diyos ang anak ? Sabi po dito: gayun na lamang ang pag-ibig ng Diyos sa Sanlibutan, kaya ibinigay Niya ang kaniyang bugtong na anak. Ganiyan na lang ang deboyson ng Diyos Ama sa atin: pati ang kaniyang bugtong na Anak, ibinigay niya.
The Gospel says that Christ was sent by the Father. Christ had a mission. Why did God send his only son? It says here: For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. That is the devotion of the Lord to us. That he sacrificed even his only begotten son.
Watch the full homily here: