5th Anniversary Celebration of the Diocese with Cubao Clergy and Guest Priests
Immaculate Conception Cathedral, 39 Lantana Street, Cubao, Quezon City
August 28, 2008 6:00 pm

THE ROLE OF CLERGY IN BUILDING UP THE LOCAL CHURCH

The word anniversary comes from two Latin words: annus – which means year and vertere – to turn. As we celebrate our 5th anniversary in ourcanonical establishment as a diocese and my installation as the first bishop of the Diocese of Cubao, I cannot but look back, turn to the Lord and thank Him for all the wonderful things He has done for me, for us and for the diocese. I also thank God for you. Only the good Lord knows how much I treasure each one of you as a brother priest and as a co-worker in His vineyard. We thank God for all the guidance He has given us. Like a baby, we started to walk by ourselves as a new diocese in 2003 with the little human and material resources that we had. But God is always generous. He has given us five priests within two years: Fr. Ronnie in 2005 (ang panganay – first born), Fr. Choi, Fr. Gilbert, Fr. Jojo and Fr. Dodot (si bunso) in 2007. different ministries have become more organized and as a result more lay people are now participating in different communities. In striving to achieve our vision-mission, we have articulated our core values in many ways through our conversion, continuing formation and renewal programs putting emphasis on the call to unity in the midst of diversity, giving more importance to being and becoming rather than having in this world, seeking for authenticity and adaptability at the same time maintaining openness and flexibility.
Anniversaries are often associated with gifts and symbols. I tried to look for the symbol or gift related to our anniversary. The symbol or traditional gift for five years is WOOD. Some of us remember the tale of three trees on a mountain top. Each tree had its own dream. The first one wanted to become part of something precious and elegant a jewel box. The second one wanted to travel and see the world and the third one was contented just staying put, growing tall and eventually people would look at this tree, they would raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. The first one did not attain his dream instead a carpenter took him and made a feed box for animals. The second one became part of a fishing boat and did not sail very far and the third one stayed on the mountain top and pointed to God by its height. Many days and nights passed. The three trees almost forgot their dreams. But one night, a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. “This manger is beautiful,” she said. In another incident, a tired traveler and his friends slept into the fishing boat and then made calm the turbulent sea. On a Friday morning, the third tree was used to nail a man’s body and every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God, they would see a concrete expression of true love.
The Diocese of Cubao is called a City on top of a hill. We are like the trees on the mountain top with different functions. It is the Master who calls, who appoints and who sustains. What is important is we make ourselves available to His divine service. As we renew our commitment as a local church in celebrating our anniversary, we are asked to embrace the wood of the cross, the sign of great love, the sign of God’s glory. The wood of the cross challenges us to know how to:
Wonder – life is full of mysteries and we wonder as we see how these mysteries unravel before our eyes. We wonder at the greatness of God. We wonder why God continues to love us in spite of our weakness and broken promises. We wonder why God does not use His power to help us overcome the present ills of the world and our society. We wonder what life would be after some years with the present technology and progress of science. This is the trait we should not lose – the sense of wonder. Our present society is characterized as being impatient. Everything is instant and everybody is always busy. Nevertheless, we should take time to wonder, to appreciate the beauty of life, the qualities of people around us. We should always wonder how God works in us and through us. He speaks to us through the “signs of the times.” If I may quote Fr. Bong Guerrero during our renewal last week in Palawan he said: “Minsan di ako makapaniwala kung paano ang mga tao ay naniniwala at sumusunod sa akin. Ako mismo hindi lubos ang aking paniniwala sa aking sarili.” When we pray and contemplate, we learn to wonder on the great things the Lord has done in our life. Like Mary in her Magnificat, we can only raise our voices to God with joy: “May soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
Offer – Like the trees that willingly offer themselves to become something, to carry out the will of God. Everyday we are invited to offer our lives, our time, our talents, our treasures to become His Instrument of peace and salvation in building a civilization of love and promoting the culture of life.
Obey – Our commitment defines us. A piece of wood has many possibilities. It can find its identify only when it submits itself to the master. We should learn to obey and become what the master wants us to be. We must be open and ready to go where the Lord wants to send us. We live to continue the life and ministry of Jesus. We have a mission in life.
Die – Love always involves dying. As Kahlil Gibran, a Lebanese poet once said: “Love will crown you as much as it will crucify you.” Authentic love is a paschal mystery. It is dying and rising. Christ is the center of our faith and central to Christ is His dying and rising so that He can send us the Holy Spirit. Jesus died for us so that we may have life in Him. Our love and service to the Lord call us to constantly die to our own selves so that we can let the Spirit of God work in our lives. When we learn to die to ourselves like St. Paul, we can also say, “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me.” (Gal 2: 19-20).
Let us be the priests – the servants of God who know how to wonder at the His goodness, who are always ready to offer our lives to Him in carrying out His will, obedient to what the master wants, and ready to die to ourselves so that Christ can live in us.

MABUHAY ANG CLERGY NG DIOCESE OF CUBAO!