Tayo si San Roque!

***

Iyong Ebanghelyo po ay tungkol sa isang kabataang lalaki na lumapit sa Panginoon at hinamon siya ng Panginoon. Iwanan mo ang lahat at sumunod ka sa akin.

Sa 2,000 taon po ng simbahan, marami pong kabataang nakarinig noon pero hindi katulad ng kabataan sa Ebanghelyo, maraming kabataan ang nakarinig noon at sumunod doon sa hamon ng Panginoon.

Ang una po ay naaalala natin ay si San Francisco ng Assisi. Anak mayaman. Pinagbili ang lahat at namuhay ng dukha para sa Panginoon. Ang hindi masyadong kilala ay si San Roque. Si San Roque rin po ay anak mayaman. Hindi lang siya anak mayaman, anak ng mga prinsipe. Lahi ng mga malalakas sa Pransiya pero sa pagkamatay ng kanyang magulang, sa halip na magpasasa sa kanyang minana, ipinagbili ang lahat para sumunod sa Panginoon.

Kung gusto ninyong yumaman, huwag po kayo magdasal dito kasi namimigay po siya ng kayamanan. Hindi po siya nag-iipon ng kayamanan.

Ano ang mga tanda ng tatak San Roque?

Kahit saan kayo makakita sa buong mundo, si San Roque ay palaging may sugat. Iyon ang kanyang tatak.

Una, sugat.

Pangalawa, ay baston o kaya tungkod.

Ang pangatlo ay ang aso.

Itong tatlong ito ay palaging sumasagisag kay San Roque.

Unahin po natin ang tungkod. Bakit siya may tungkod? Kasi po noong kanyang kapanahunan ay tradisyon na nagpupunta ang mga tao sa dalawang lugar sa Europa. Yung isa Santiago de Compostela kung saan nakalibing si Santiago de Apostol at San Pedro sa Roma kung saan nakalibig si San Pedro. Naglalakad po iyan. Katulad ng mga kabataan naglalakad papuntang Manaoag. Lahat po sila, buwan ang binibilang. Ang dala po lamang ay tungkod at iyong maliit na bag sa tagiliran, may konting pagkain o tinapay na napapalimos. Kaya meron silang tungkod at meron silang maliit na bag.

Ano iyong aral ng tungkod? Tinuturo sa atin ni San Roque – pansamantala ka lang dito. Dumadaan ka lang dito sa mundo. Hindi ka taga-rito. Kung baga sa visa, wala kang permanent residency. Kung baga sa visa, wala ka ring passport na citizen ka. Kasi ang passport natin, ang visa natin langit. Lahat tayo ay papuntang langit. Lahat tayo ay biyaheng langit. At dapat nating isa-isip na lahat tayo naglalakbay pansamantala lamang.

Kaya’t pag nakita natin ang tungkod ni San Roque, puwede natin siyang tanungin –

Saan ho ang punta ninyo? Sasagot siya – Galing ako ng Pransiya, papunta ako ng Roma.

Pero pagkatapos po ng Roma, saan po kayo pupunta? – Papuntang langit.

Tayo mga Pinoy, gawain natin iyong bati – Saan ang lakad? Saan ang punta? Di naman natin sinasagot katulad ng google, na sasabihin mo  kung saan eksakto na pupuntahan mo. Kasi pag tinanong naman tayong mga Pilipino kung saan ang lakad mo, sasabihin mo <makes a pointing action with lips> Nagkaintindihan na tayo dun. Wala pang kamay iyan ha. Nguso pa lang iyan. Iyon na iyon. Nagkakaintindihan na tayo.

San Roque, saan ho ang lakad? Sabihin niya – Lakad langit.

Pangalawa, ang kanyang sugat. Iyong sugat ay sumasagisag sa dalawa. Una, sugat na kanyang inalagaan. Pangalawa, sugat na kanyang dinala. Dahil sa kanyang pag-aalaga, sa kahulihan siya ay nagkasakit din. Ang sugat na iyon ay sugat ng pagmamahal. Sugat ng malasakit. Yung iba sa atin nasusugatan kasi kasalanan natin. Nasusugatan tayo kasi kalokohan mo eh. Nasusugatan tayo dahil hindi mo sinusunod yung mga alituntunin. Si San Roque masunurin subalit may sugat at iyong sugat niya ay galing sa paglilingkod.

Pag nakita natin iyong sugat, sabihin natin kay San Roque – San Roque, puwede ho bang huwag masaktan. Kasi ang dami-dami ng nanakit sa akin. Meron ho akong crush, hindi naman ako pinapansin. O meron akong girlfriend na niloko naman ako. Meron akong anak na nag-addict naman. Meron akong anak na umuwing buntis. Meron akong asawa, nag-OFW…hindi lang siya sumakabilang-bansa, sumakabilang-bahay na rin. Ang sakit. Puwede bang wala na lang sakit. Sasabihin sayo ni San Roque, puwede naman. Kung ayaw mong masaktan, puwedeng mabuhay ka ng hindi ka nasasaktan, basta huwag ka lang magmahal.

Kapag hindi ka nagmahal kasi, hindi ka masusugatan. Alam mo kung bakit? Huwag ka magmahal kahit sino…kahit tuta…kahit ibon…kahit isda. Huwag ka magmahal kahit bagay-bagay. Huwag ka magmahal. Don’t love anything. Don’t love anybody. Don’t love at all. Di ka masasaktan dahil magiging bato ka.

At ang bato wala ng pakiramdam. Ang kanyang sugat ay tanda ng kanyang pagmamahal. Kung gusto mong magmahal ay maging handa kang masaktan. Hindi tayo makakaligtas hanggang nandito tayo sa lupa.

Ang una – biyaheng langit. Pangalawa ay ang pagmamahal ay palaging masakit. Okay lang iyon kesa naman maging bato ako.

Ang pangatlo ay iyong aso kasi nung magkaroon na siya ng sakit at humiwalay na siya upang hindi na siya manghawa, iyon ay aral sa atin. Kapag maysakit ka, siguruhin mol ang na hind makahawa ng ibang tao. At iyong aso ang nagdadala sa kanya ng tinapay upang mabuhay siya. Dinadalhan siya ng tinapay. Mabait ba ang aso? Hindi ko alam. Pero alam ko merong mas mabait kaysa sa aso. Sino? Iyong Panginoon na nagpadala sa aso upang pakainin siya. It was the Lord who sent him the dog to bring him food. Walang talino iyong aso ngunit tinuruan ng Diyos upang maging mabait para kay Roque.

Sa atin buhay, mga kapatid, marami pang hayop, marami pang kaibigan, marami pang ari-arian na ibibigay sa atin ang Diyos. Pero, anumang ginhawa na tinatanggap natin, galing iyan sa Diyos. At huwag nating kakalimutan ang dahilan ng lahat ay awa ng Diyos. Ang aso, katulad ni San Roque ay biyaya para sa atin. Awa ng Diyos iyon kay San Roque. Ang tungkod paala-ala ng paglalakbay. At ang sugat, alaala ng sakit na dulot ng pagmamahal. Tuturuan tayo ni San Roque kung bubuksan natin ang puso natin sa kanya.

Sa huli po ay makiki-usap po ako ng isang panalangin. Personal po. Kasi kung buhay po ang nanay ko ngayon ay 95 years old. Birthday po ng Nanay ngayong araw na ito. Sa aming parokya doon sa kinalakihan ko sa Pateros, ang aming patron ay San Roque din. Pagdasal po ninyo ang nanay kasi kung wala akong nanay, wala kayong archbishop. Kung wala ho akong nanay, hindi ho makakarating dito. At ang lahat ho ay utang ko sa Diyos, ginamit po ng Diyos ang nanay ko upang makarating dito sa Pangasinan, dito sa Kamalig, lahat ng gawain para sa Diyos. Amen.

When you don’t love, you will not get wounded. You know why? Choose not to love anyone…even a puppy…even a bird…even a fish. Choose not to love anything. Do not love. Don’t love anything. Don’t love anybody. Don’t love at all. You will not feel pain because you will turn into a rock.

***

Today’s Gospel is about a young man who came to the Lord and in turn, the Lord challenged him – Leave everything behind and come follow me.

In the last 2,000 years of the Catholic church, there were many young people who heard the same call but unlike the young man in the Gospel, there were many who heeded the call of God.

The first one who comes to mind is Saint Francis of Assisi. He was born to a rich family. He renounced wordly goods and embraced a life of poverty. There is another one but lesser known – Saint Roch (San Roque). Saint Roch was also born to a rich family. He was not only born to wealth but also descended from royalty. He descended from a rich and powerful family in France but upon the death of his parents, he gave up his inheritance and chose a life of a poor pilgrim following the Lord.

If you want to be wealthy, it is not a good idea to pray for St. Roch’’s intercession because he gives away his wealth. He doesn’t hoard his riches.

What are the signs depicted by Saint Roch?

Anywhere in the world, Saint Roch is depicted as having a wound on his leg. That is one of his signature symbols.

First, his would.

Second, is his cane or walking stick.

Third is the dog.

These three items are often depicted to symbolize Saint Roch.

Let us talk about his walking stick. Why does he have one? This is because during his time, the tradition was to go on pilgrimage to two places in Europe. One such place was Santiago de Compostela where the remains of Santiago de Apostol (Saint James the Great) are held and in San Pedro sa Roma (St. Peter’s Basilica) where Saint Peter’s remains are held. They go on their pilgrimage on foot, just like the youth who walk their way to Manaoag. It takes them months walking and they carry this walking stick and a small bag for their food or bread from alms. This is why they carry a walking stick and a small bag.

What does the walking stick teach us? Saint Roch teaches us that – we are here temporarily. We are just passing through this world. We do not belong here. We can liken it a visa, that is not stamped with permanent residency. Like a visa, you have no passport proving your citizenship. This is because our passport, our visa is bound for heaven. We are all bound for heaven. Our destination is heaven. And we must all bear in mind that we are on this journey, temporarily passing through.

So when we see Saint Roch, his walking stick in hand, we can ask him –

Where are you off to? He will answer– I came from France and on my way to Rome.

But after Rome, where will you go? – I’ll be on my way to heaven.

As Filipinos, it is common practice for us to say – Saan ang lakad? Saan ang punta? (Where are you off to? Where are you going?) Typically, we do not answer unlike google that gives you the exact location of where you’re going. Because oftentimes when we Filipinos are asked where we’re going, we answer with <makes a pointing action with lips> and we understand. No use of hand gestures. Just the lips. And that’s it. We understand what is being meant.

Saint Roch, where are you off to? His answer – Walking to heaven.

Second, his wound. His would serves as two symbols. First, the wound that he took care of. Second, the wound that he bore. Despite his attempt to care for his wound, he eventually succumbed to illness. His wound served as a symbol of love. His wound served as a symbol of genuine care. For some of us, we get wounded due to our own fault. We get wounded due to our own foolishness. We get wounded because we broke the rules. Saint Roch was obedient yet he carried this wound that came from his life of service.

When we look upon the wound of Saint Roch, we can ask him this – Is it possible not to get hurt?  Many others have caused me so much pain. I have this crush but he doesn’t see me…or I have a girlfriend but she betrayed me. I have a son who became addicted to drugs. I have a daughter who came back home pregnant out of wedlock. My spouse, an OFW (overseas filipino worker)…became unfaithful. This is very painful. Is it possible not to suffer this pain? Saint Roch will tell you – Yes, it is possible? If you do not want to suffer pain, it is possible to live a life without pain simply by not loving.

When you don’t love, you will not get wounded. You know why? Choose not to love anyone…even a puppy…even a bird…even a fish. Choose not to love anything. Do not love. Don’t love anything. Don’t love anybody. Don’t love at all. You will not feel pain because you will turn into a rock. And a rock does not feel anything.

His wound serves as a symbol of his love. If you choose to love then be ready to get hurt. We shall not be spared from pain while we are here on earth.

First – A walk to heaven. Second – to love means there will always be pain. It is okay and better than turning into a rock.

The third symbol is the dog. When he fell ill, he isolated himself in a far-away place so he will not infect anyone else. This also teaches us that when we fall ill, we must be responsible enough not to infect other people. The dog came to his side everyday bringing him bread for his sustenance. Was the dog being kind to him? I do not know. But I am certain that there was someone kinder than the dog. Who? It was the Lord who sent the dog with the bread. It was the Lord who sent him the dog to bring him food. The dog bore no intelligence yet God taught the dog to be kind to Roch.

In our lives, my dear brothers and sisters, we shall receive the blessing of many animals, many friends, and many properties. But all these blessings all came from God. We must never forget that everything is from the mercy of God. The dog, just like San Roque, is God’s blessing for us. It was God’s mercy for Saint Roch. The walking stick reminds us of our walk to heaven. And the wound serves as a reminder that with love comes pain. Saint Roch teaches us to open our hearts to him.

Lastly, may I ask for your prayers. It is personal. If my mother had been alive today, she would be 95 years old. Today is my mother’s birthday. In the parish where I grew in Pateros, our patron is Saint Roch. Please pray for my mother because without her, there would be no archbishop. If I didn’t have my mother, I would not be here today. I owe everything to God, and God used my mother to enable me to come here to Pangasinan, here in Kamalig, where we offer all our works to Lord. Amen.