Tagle urges Catholics to fight temptation

MANILA, Philippines - What is more important: hearing mass or $30 million?

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle posed this question during his homily in the Palm Sunday mass at the Manila Cathedral yesterday.

Hundreds of parishioners responded with “mass” and Tagle could only hope they were serious.

“In daily life, we are offered many things, many conveniences that might tempt us to forget and to abandon obedience to God,” the prelate said.

Tagle said even Jesus was tempted but He chose to remain in solidarity with the people even though His disciples deserted Him to protect themselves.

“Today we are asked to receive and accept Jesus in His love for his neighbor. Let us show our solidarity with the suffering, with the poor, the lost, the confused, those who are looking for God. We have so many neighbors who are longing for love. Like Jesus, go to them and assure them that they are not alone,” he said.

Tagle urged the faithful not to forsake God’s words in exchange for wealth.

“How much do we love God? Are we willing to suffer for our obedience to God?” he asked.

Tagle said Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday is about “the greatest love that humanity has ever experienced, the love of someone who obeyed God and loved his neighbor at all costs,” he said.

The head of the country’s Catholic hierarchy also offered prayers for victims of last year’s calamities, both natural and man-made.

“To our brothers and sisters still suffering in Zamboanga, Bohol, Samar, Leyte, Capiz, Aklan, Iloilo, Palawan, Cebu because of Typhoon Yolanda; to the people living on the streets because they don’t have shelter, people who are enduring pain because they don’t have medicine, women who have been hurt and are still hurting because of betrayal and abuse, to workers who don’t get the respect and the just wages that they deserve, let us be the heart of Jesus telling and assuring them that even if others have left and forgotten them, we are still here,” he said.

Palm Sunday commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.

It was the first Sunday mass celebrated at the Manila Cathedral since it opened last week after over two years of renovation.