Serving Together on the Way

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

February 5, 2026 | Closing Mass of the 42nd National Social Action General Assembly (NASAGA) 2026

Mother of Grace Convention Center, Caritas Philippines Development Center, Tagaytay City

“The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them” (Mark 6:13).

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

For me as the apostolic nuncio, it's always a joy to be here in the [Roman Catholic] Diocese of Imus, with our beloved Bishop, His Excellency, the Most Rev. Reynaldo G. Evangelista, D.D., here in this beautiful Mother of Grace Convention Center, here in Caritas Philippines Development Center, which we blessed not very long ago. We're here because all of you are celebrating the 42nd Anniversary of the National Social Action General Assembly (NASAGA), all of you involved in the social action of the Church.

I want to greet also in a very special way this afternoon, His Excellency, the Most Rev. Gerardo “Gerry” A. Alminaza, D.D., (Bishop of San Carlos, Negros Occidental) who has just recently been nominated-appointed as president of Caritas, Philippines. I want to recognize the presence of my two colleagues from the Apostolic Nunciature: Monsignor Giuseppe Trentadue and Monsignor Guilherme De Melo Sanches, who are with me this afternoon.

So, all of you are involved in the social action of the Church. Our Gospel (Mark 6:7-13) this evening is the gospel in which Jesus sends out the Twelve. The theme of this year's celebration (Sulong-Padayon: Pag-asa, Pananagutan, Pagbabago) in English, is “Moving Forward: Hope, Responsibility, Change.” Change, which is an important word.

Together on the Way

So, let's think about this gospel of Jesus sending out the Twelve. First of all, we know that He sends them out “two by two”. They go together. They don't go alone. There's the old maxim or the old slogan that's attributed to the early church, father to Tertullian, “Solus Christianus, Nullus Christianus.” What does that mean? “A solitary Christian is no Christian”. A Christian by himself is not a Christian. A Christian is always walking with others—two by two.

So, we have this idea of going together: two by two. Then it's interesting. In the Gospel, Jesus instructs them, “Take nothing for the journey.” “Take nothing for the journey but a walking stick” and so forth. The word in the original Greek of the Gospel is not really “journey”. It says, “Take nothing for the way” (μηδὲν αἴρωσιν εἰς ὁδὸν). “Take nothing for the [in Greek] οδος. Odos.

Now maybe you are already thinking about what I'm about to say next. That we've been living for the last five years, six years, this experience of synodality. Synodality has that word odos in it. Synodality from σύνοδος, (sunodos). The “σύν” (transliteration: sun; phonetic spelling: soon) at the beginning means “with,” “together,” two by two. “Οδος” (odos) the second part of the word means “on the way”. So, in a certain sense, the Gospel, in a mysterious, mystical way, is indicating the synodal path. We go together. Not alone, Solus Christianus, Nullus Christianus. We go together on the way. In the Latin version of this gospel is, “in via” (praecepit eis ne quid tollerent in via), the via. So, we're going together on the way.

That is your theme for this 42nd assembly. The theme is “Moving Forward…”, but if we're going to move forward, we have to always move forward in a synodal fashion. Together on the way. We don't want the social action of the Church to be the application of the gospel principle of “Let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Mt. 6:3). Right? We need to be going together, working together, cooperating, collaborating, discussing, and dialoguing. That's why something like this that you've been involved in for the last couple of days here is so important. To come together to truly a synodal experience: two by two, three by three, four by four, fifty by fifty. Together on the way: sharing, encouraging, inspiring. 

That's why a convention is so beautiful and so important. That's why, in the name of Pope Leo, I thank each and every one of you for the social action that you're involved in. You're involved in many different forms of the social action of the Church here in the Philippines. In all of my trips and visits from Batanes to Jolo, I see the work that you're doing, and it's so incredibly amazing and impressive.

There's such a crying need in the Philippines for social action, as all of us know. So, what you're doing is at the center of the Church, the heart of the Church's outreach to everyone, but especially to the poor and marginalized. That's why I compliment you, encourage you in the name of Pope Leo XIV, to remind you to go forward synodally: two by two, three by three, together. Always with your bishop, with others, always in communication, always in a dialog. That way we can move forward effectively.

Mετάνοια (Metanoia) to New Ways of Approaching the Problems

Then the second word, which is interesting in the Gospel is that we hear how “the apostles went off and preached repentance” (Mk. 6:12). That's what it says in the way we read the gospel, “they preached repentance.” What does that mean? That means in Greek, that they preached mετάνοια (metanoia). They encouraged people to conversion, a change of heart. “Mετάνοια” means very literally, “change”, to “change your mind.” “Mετά” + “νοια”, the noia part is like nous, mind, knowledge. So, in a certain sense, the apostles go out and encourage people to “Open your minds,” “Change your way of thinking.”

That's a message that all of us can take away from this convention. Of course, we encourage, we dialog, we inspire, but we also need to open our minds to new ways of approaching the problems. The problems are perennial. The problems are constant: corruption, poverty, exclusion, malnutrition—all of these things—lack of education; but we need to have fresh solutions. We need to think in new ways, creative solutions to these perennial problems. That's really what it means to think in new ways, to metanoia. To be creative, and we can say, inventive in new ways as we approach these problems, and not to be discouraged by an apparent lack of results, because systemic problems take a long time to change. 

What we can change are specific, small problems. We can help individual people in small ways. That is so important, because, in the end, what's important is the individual, is the person. Society is important, but society is important because of this collection of individuals. We need to help individuals.

Finally, we have those final words of the gospel, “They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.” (Mk. 6:13). So, in a certain sense, we see that twofold mission of the Church: driving out demons, which is the spiritual mission of the Church, which is so important, central spiritual mission of the Church; but taking care of the sick, curing them, we can say, that's the merciful, physical aspect of the Church's actions. Certainly, we can say the social action of the Church: taking people and helping them in their need, in their present needs, responding to their needs, taking care of them.

That's what all of you do so beautifully in the Philippines, and why it's so encouraging for me to see all of you gathered here together for this convention, to find new ways to do that, that mission which is symbolically represented in the Gospel this evening: by curing the sick. You are curing the sick, whether it's in terms of giving education, giving nutrition, working against corruption, and all these different illnesses that afflict our society today.

“Harvest is many, but the laborers are few,” but with God, all things are possible, and Jesus is with us. He's with you. He's with this work. He is the one who's inspiring us, and not only inspiring us, but making our small efforts effective.

Conclusion and Final Exhortations

So, for me as your Apostolic Nuncio, it gives me so much joy to be with you this afternoon, to encourage you, to thank you, and to say, as I've already said, wherever I go in the Philippines, I see the great work done by the social action of the Church.

Finally, we ask Our Lady, especially here in Mother of Grace Convention Center, we ask Mary, the Mother of Grace, to intercede for each and every one of us. Mary, who, as all of us know, after receiving the message of the angel, after receiving the Word made flesh in her body, Jesus, the unborn Jesus, she goes on a mission of mercy, social action. She goes to help her cousin Elizabeth, who is elderly and is pregnant, and needs help. So, we have that beautiful symbol, and sign of social action, even in Our Lady, in her first moments. Receiving the gift of God, but not keeping it for herself, but going out to help others. In this case, to help Saint Elizabeth (cf. Luke 1:26-56).

I'm going to Rome next week to see Pope Leo. I’ll bring him all of your greetings, and I'll tell him that I asked you to pray for him. He always asks for our prayers. So, let's remember to pray for Pope Leo, our newly elected Holy Father. In his name, I thank you for everything you're doing. I compliment you, and I wish you all the best in this very important mission of the church.

May God bless you.

Transcribed by Joel V. Ocampo

Cover photo from DZRV 846