In three days we will be welcoming Pope Francis for his much awaited apostolic visit. There is no doubt that our preparation for his coming has been quite hectic, thorough and well planned. It is another proof of our well known trait as one of the most hospitable people in the world. We really attend to our guests and receive them warmly into our shores. This is truly something we should be proud of as Filipinos.
Of course there is nothing wrong or objectionable at all in going all out and leaving no stones unturned for this momentous visit of the Vicar of Christ, the third Pope to visit our country which is the only Catholic country in this part of the world. We should really devote our attention and our time and pray a lot for a most fruitful and successful visit of the personal representative of our Lord Jesus Christ who is coming here on a mission of “Mercy and Compassion.” It is truly one of the most blessed and grace filled occasions for our country and our people.
But somehow a feeling of uneasiness still lingers in my mind and body as I follow and observe the ongoing preparations especially by our government regarding the safety and security of the Pope. As host country, our government must really ensure that no harm or any inconvenience befalls our visitor during his visit. But on this specific occasion we seem to be overdoing everything again. It seems that the massive security preparations are nothing but another media blitz than an honest to goodness security operation which is usually done secretly.
What caught my attention and made me squirm in my seat is the alleged report that we will spend 54 million pesos to put up concrete barriers to control the crowd who would want to see and listen to the Pope. I thought that spending such amount is uncalled for and is simply a waste of money. Once again we seem to be overdoing everything with such enormous spending especially for purposes of merely putting up a temporary barrier between the people of God and His chosen representative on earth.
Somehow it conveys a very uncomplimentary message that we Filipinos are unruly and unwieldy even when it comes to practicing our Faith. But I believe that Filipinos still have in their hearts the sense of “order, discipline and charity.” The truth is that we are even praying daily for the success of the Pope’s visit by being able to observe more of such discipline, order and charity even without those expensive barriers.
But worse is that spending such big amount for those barriers once more demonstrates that some of us still have wrong sense of values. Said amount could have been better spent to alleviate poverty in this land or, at least ease the discomforts of the millions who will be flocking the areas where the Pope will appear. Indeed spending such huge amount even runs counter to the very message of the Pope to have mercy and compassion for the poor and the less fortunate in our country. Pope Francis will certainly feel uneasy also if he learns about such useless expenditure during his four-day visit here.
Furthermore it is also good at this time to keep in mind the real meaning and purpose of the Pope’s visit. And we can easily discern these from the kind of lifestyle we have seen from him since he was chosen as Pope and assumed the Papacy. Immediately noticeable here is that he had shun all the trappings and perks of power as the leader of the more than one billions Catholics all over the world, undoubtedly the biggest, the strongest and the only authentic religion on this planet. From such kind of lifestyle we can easily deduce that he wants his visit to be as simple, humble and less expensive as possible.
Indeed, even before his arrival he has already been reminding us repeatedly that we should focus on Jesus rather than on him during his visit. All these preparations picturing him as a “matinee idol” run counter to his appeal. This is not in accordance with his wishes as conveyed to Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle who quoted Pope Francis as telling him, “Don’t focus on me, focus on Jesus” during his four day visit on January 15 to 19, 2015. In fact the Cardinal enjoined the faithful “to go beyond their goal of having a “selfie” with the Pope because as he told him: “I am a regular human being. But they are making me a celebrity, a star. That’s not me.” This is the same kind of humility shown by St John the Baptist when he pointed to Jesus and said “He must increase and I must decrease” (Jn 3: 30).
Therefore, it will be much better and more spiritually fruitful for us if we just focus our attention on some pronouncements made by Pope Francis specifically found in his Encyclical, “Evangelii Gaudeum”. If we can absorb his message deep in our hearts we can get a clear insight of the purpose of his apostolic visit and make it truly successful.
“The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew.
The great danger in today’s world provided as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interest and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of His love is no longer felt and the desire to do good, fades. This is a very real danger for believers too. Many fall prey to it, and end up resentful, angry and listless. That is no way to live a dignified and fulfilled life; it is not God’s will for us, nor is it the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen Christ” (Evangelii Gaudium #1 abc and # 2).
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