Mary, Our Lady of the Beatitudes

Homily of H.E. Most Rev. Charles John Brown, D.D., Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines

Minor Basilica and Parish of La Purisima Concepcion, Municipality of Santa Maria, Bulacan

February 1, 2026 | Sixth Day of Novena Mass in Honor of the La Purisima Concepcion

6th Canonical Coronation Anniversary of La Purisima Concepcion of Sta Maria, Bulacan

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

For me as your apostolic nuncio, it’s always a great joy for me to be here in Santa Maria, Bulacan, in the Diocese of Malolos. I think, in fact, if I’m not mistaken, it’s my fourth visit to your wonderful parish. Any town that is named for the Mother of God, for the Mother of Jesus, is close to my heart. I'm always happy to come to Santa Maria, to be with all of you here in this splendidly decorated Minor Basilica and Parish of La Purisima Concepcion.

I want to thank in a very special way, your beloved Rector and Parish Priest, Rev. Msgr. Alberto Suatengco, for having invited me once again to be with all of you here in Santa Maria. I've come with the two priests from the Apostolic Nunciature, Msgr. Giuseppe Trentadue, the counsellor; and Fr. Guilherme De Melo Sanches, the secretary. Not only them, but three of our wonderful St. Paul of Chartres (SPC) sisters, who in fact have a school not far from here, who also work in the nunciature, and are joining us for this magnificent celebration: the sixth day of your novena, in anticipation of the fiesta day on Thursday, which will be the culmination of these celebrations when your beloved Bishop Dennis Villarojo, Bishop of Malolos, will come and celebrate the Fiesta Mass.

Today, we celebrate the sixth anniversary, six years since the Canonical Coronation of La Purisima Concepcion, which happened back in 2020; and in 2024, two years ago, I myself reenacted the coronation and placed the crown once again on the head of Our Lady.

Today is also the third anniversary of the passing of Carmelita “Baby” Vargas Salcedo, who was called to eternal life on this day three years ago. I pray for her in a very special way during this holy mass.

The Humble Girl from the Province

So, La Purisima Concepcion, how beautiful she is in heaven. So splendid, so glorious, so lovely; and how beautiful the church is with all these flowers and decorations, she's beautiful. She's the Radiant Star of Bulacan Province.

When we think about Mary's origins, we think about Mary on this earth, she was much more humble than what we see when we look at her in heaven now: glorious, beautiful, and radiant. In fact, the Gospel and the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 1:26-31) that we've heard for Mass today, which are the readings for Sunday, they fit Our Lady perfectly.

The second reading says, “God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something” (1 Cor. 1:27-28).

We think about Mary. We see her glorious in heaven, the La Purisima Concepcion; but Mary on earth is the humble girl. The girl of the provinces, in Nazareth. Mary did not live in the capital, brothers and sisters. She lived in the province: in Nazareth, not in Jerusalem. She was a girl from the provinces. God, of all time chose this girl, this humble girl from the provinces, to be the one who would bring the Word made flesh: Jesus, into the world. If it weren't for Mary, Jesus would not come into the world. Because of her saying “yes” to Angel Gabriel that the Word was made flesh in her womb and dwelt among us. This humble girl. This girl was engaged to be married but not yet married to Joseph. Someone who was not important in the eyes of the world. Someone not in the capital, but in the province. God chose her.

That's true for all of you, all of us. God has a plan for your life, no matter what it is. You're a mother or a father, or a student, or a priest, or religious sister, God has a plan. God made you. God created you in His love. He has a plan for your life. That is so beautiful to reflect on.

The Lady of the Beatitudes

Then the Gospel today is The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12a). “Blessed are the poor in spirit… Blessed are those who mourn…Blessed are the meek…” We call them The Beatitudes, because in Latin, each of those phrases begins with the word “beati”, “blessed”, “beati”, “beatitudes”. 

Traditionally, there are eight beatitudes, which we've heard in the Gospel this evening. They perfectly fit Our Lady. On my coat of arms as a bishop (which is the symbol that each bishop has), I have a star in the upper right corner. It is a star that represents Mary, the Radiant Star of Bulacan. It has eight points on it, on my star. The eight points are the eight beatitudes.

The eight beatitudes which we heard,

“Blessed are the poor in spirit…

Blessed are they who mourn…

Blessed are the meek…

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness…

Blessed are the merciful…

Blessed are the clean of heart…

Blessed are the peacemakers…

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness…”

They all fit Mary perfectly. Mary is the Lady of the beatitudes. She's the perfect human representation of the Beatitudes. Think about it. First of the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Mary is poor in spirit. She's a simple girl. When she receives a message of the Angel Gabriel, she says, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). “Ecce ancilla Domini,” “the handmaid, the servant of the Lord.” The servant girl, but God chose her and exalted her into heaven as our glorious mother in heaven. So, the lowliness of Mary. “Blessed are the poor in spirit…”

Of course, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” We think of Mary at the foot of the cross, seeing her son crucified. We think of Mary holding the dead body of her son. The famous La Pieta of Michelangelo. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Mary is comforted when Jesus rises from the dead.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” As I said, Mary is the meek, country girl, province girl of Nazareth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” When Mary goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth, she sings that beautiful song, which we call The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior…He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly.” So, Mary is exalting, rejoicing in the righteousness of God. God who exalts the lowly and humbles the proud.

Then “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Mary also says in her Magnificat that “God has mercy on those who fear Him in every generation.” “God has mercy on those who fear Him in every generation.” That's an important message for us that Pope Francis constantly repeated: God is a God of mercy. People commit sins or feel they're far from God, that they've done terrible things. God is waiting for them. Jesus is waiting for them to come back, come to confession. Here in this beautiful church. To be reconciled. God is merciful. God is merciful.

Finally, the sixth beatitude. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” What do we call Mary here in your parish? She is La Purisima, the most pure. Mary is the most pure. “Blessed are the pure in heart.” Mary's heart is so pure, so beautiful, so loving, so innocent, so powerful in her purity, so powerful in her purity. “Blessed are the pure in heart.”

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” Mary brings through her body the Prince of Peace into the world. Jesus is our peace. In a few moments, when I finish my short homily, before we receive Holy Communion, we repeat those words of Jesus, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (John 14:27). Jesus gives us peace because Jesus is God's mercy for us. 

Finally, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of God.” Mary was also persecuted in her life. Think about Mary and Joseph, when King Herod wants to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem, and sends the soldiers to destroy Bethlehem, and kill the baby boys because Herod is trying to kill baby Jesus. Mary and Joseph flee into Egypt, the Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-23), the persecution of Mary, the protection of Joseph, taking care of her.

So, The Beatitudes, which are our Gospel for tonight, fit perfectly with Our Lady. Our Lady is the Woman of the Beatitudes. She shows us The Beatitudes.

That's why for all of us, for you and me, it's wonderful to be devotees of La Purisima Concepcion. Think of all the people, all of you who come and pray here in front of her image. Mary looks at you with great love, with great tenderness, like a mother. She presents all your needs, your petitions to her Son, Jesus. Mary loves us so much because her heart is so pure.

So, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ: for me as your papal nuncio, on this sixth day of novena, I wish you all the best for this Parish Fiesta 2026, may bring graces, joys, and blessings for everyone here in Santa Maria.

I will be going next week to Rome to see Pope Leo, and I will tell him when I get there that all of you here in Santa Maria are praying for Pope Leo. So please pray for our new Holy Father. Like me, he's an American. He visited the Philippines many, many times in the past. We hope that sometime as Pope, he will visit again. I will bring all of your prayers, all of your affection, all of your love, to the Holy Father, Pope Leo, when I see him next week or the week after.

God bless each and every one of you.

Happy fiesta!