The spiritual message to the nation of the Greenhills Holy Family Shrine

(Part 2 of a series on The Greenhills Holy Family Shrine)

Just as there is a sunrise, so is there a sunset. Water wets, water dries up. Fire heats, fire cools off as well. So with the good news, there comes the bad news.

"Did you know that I must be in my Fatherís house?" (Luke 3:49)

UNESCO and the Holy Family Shrine

During the last UNESCO National Commission meeting in December 1993, our Education committee planned a series of workshops on Family Values to celebrate the UN Year of the Family 1994. By this time, mystic-artist Punay Kabayao-Fernandez and our sculptor Pempe Floriano had already finished the sketches of The Finding of Jesus in the Temple. This project has been "programmed" mystically, according to Punay, since 1990. Isn’t it therefore a fitting spiritual gift for the public to represent the International Year of the Family?

All the ten spiritual monuments at the OBMC headquarters in Greenhills are single statues, but the 11th project — the Temple Shrine of the Holy Family — totals to 14 figures including eight Pharisees, half of them enlightened and happy to hear the wisdom of Christ, while the four others are resentful of Our Lord. The woman breastfeeding her baby modestly kneels before Jesus. She and her male companion seek the blessing of Jesus. Meantime, a dog looks up as if listening to the Lord.

It took the whole Year of the Family 1994 to finish this great composition. Pempe was assisted by a gifted young sculptor from Bicol, Eduardo Luzon.

It was St. Luke in Chapter II: 4-32 who narrated the finding of the Boy Jesus in the temple. Yet, it was Our Blessed Mother herself who in the book, The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics, revealed to Venerable Mother Mary of Jesus of Agreda (1602-1665) her experience together with St. Joseph, "The Lord absented Himself from me in order that by seeking Him in sorrow and tears I might find Him again in joy and with abundant fruits for my soul."

Once a year in Jerusalem…

Like all the Jews, the Holy Family went to the Temple in Jerusalem, at least once a year, to celebrate the Pasch in April. The Boy Jesus first took the long trip when He was eight years old and He wished that it be made entirely on foot. Often He became tired and overheated, and then with tender compassion His Mother would ask Him to rest, while she gently wiped His face. Some nights they spend in inns and some in the open fields.

In the great Temple, Mary observed how Jesus prayed to His Father in heaven for the whole human race. When she thought of her Son’s future sufferings in that same city, He would turn to her and urge her to offer up those sufferings with Him for the salvation of men. Several times in the Temple, she heard the Voice of the eternal Father declare: "This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

After Jesus reached the age of 12, the Holy Family made their yearly pilgrimage to the Temple and spent seven days with friends in Jerusalem. But this time, when Mary and Joseph left the city and were on their way back to Nazareth, the Child Jesus withdrew from them without their knowledge. Not far from the city gate, He turned and hastened back through the streets. In His divine omniscience, He foresaw all that was to happen and He offered it up to His eternal Father for the benefit of souls.

During the next three days, He spent part of His time begging and visiting the hospitals of the poor, consoling the sick and giving them the alms He had received. Secretly, He restored bodily health to some and spiritual health to many.

The public test of the Child Prodigy

Joining some boys, He went to three schools, on each day a different one. The questions and answers of the 12-year old Jesus surprised and irritated the teachers and priests of these schools so much. Thus, they decided on the third afternoon to have Him publicly tested in the Temple by their famous experts, in order to embarrass and humiliate Him. For though they began by applauding the boy’s knowledge, they soon felt a secret envy and jealousy.

They all met accordingly in the great hall of the Temple, where Our Lord often taught later on. It was a vast auditorium in which crowds of people circulated casually, making it hard to recognize as a place dedicated to the service of God. Around Him were grouped a number of aged Israelites dressed as priests. (The statues in the Greenhills Holy Family Shrine wear robes in varying colors of brown, yellow, fuchsia and aquamarine. Mary’s gown is in topaz-yellow, while Jesus’ tallow blue robe is lined in gold.)

The young Jesus stepped into their midst with remarkable majesty and grace. By His pleasing appearance, He awakened in these learned men a desire to hear Him. They listened to Him very intently but with growing fury. In replying to their questions, Our Lord spoke first about medicine — the way He described the human body aroused the admiration of the foremost doctors. Then, He took up several matters pertaining to astronomy, architecture, agriculture, geometry, mathematics, and law. He was so skillful in correlating these different subjects with the promises, prophecies and mysteries of their religion, its ceremonies and sacrifices, that His listeners were astounded and embarrassed.

Mary’s pride and joy in young Jesus’ preaching

Finally, the discussion turned to the coming of the Messiah. Most of the Hebrew scholars maintained that He could not yet be due because He was to come with kingly pomp to free His people by force from the Romans. But the Boy Jesus, by quoting the other prophecies concerning the rejection and death of the Messiah, proved that the Prophets had described His two different comings: First, to redeem and second, to judge mankind. By recalling that the people of Israel were now in that very servitude which was foretold as a sure sign of His coming, Jesus demonstrated that the Messiah must already be among them.

He even reminded them of the visit of the three Magi, seeking the King of the Jews. Thus, while seeming to ask questions, Jesus taught with divine conviction.

The scribes and scholars who heard Him refute their arguments were all at first dumbfounded and then furious with shame. They could not tolerate His teaching them things they did not know or His explaining the mysteries of the Law better than they could.

Jesus gives the Good News

Meanwhile, during these three days, Mary and Joseph, their hearts filled with anxiety and self-reproach had been searching in vain for Jesus among their relatives and friends. One of the women she questioned exclaimed: "The Child came to my door yesterday begging for alms and I gave Him some. His grace and beauty touched my heart. I was moved to compassion at seeing such a lovely Child in poverty and need." (Jesus in the Holy Family Temple Shrine has a dazzling beauty.)

Due to hear weak condition, Punay could not supervise the spiritual works of art as she used to do for the first ten holy monuments. But, when the mission required it, she would miraculously be strengthened. Thus during the last week of painting the Holy Family ensemble, she was "allowed" to supervise almost everyday. It rained frequently and she had to wear a jacket and bandana.

Strange enough, Pempe had bronchitis and the doctor insisted that he should rest for a few days. The dilemma was resolved when Pempe observed, "Kung si Aling Punay na mas matanda sa akin at may karamdaman pa, ay nagbabantay hanggang alas diyes ng gabi — ako pa, na mas bata!" (If Punay, who is much older, and ailing could be so dedicated to the mission guiding me until 10 in the evening, why should I not persist as well when I am so much younger.)

Punay herself experienced how she never caught a cold even if the days were drizzly wet. The full protection was given to the two artists to make sure Our Lord Jesus at the age of 12 can give the "Good News" to the Filipinos and mankind on Christmas of 1995.

(For more information please e-mail at exec@obmontessori.edu.ph)