LOVE SHOULD be expressed not just through words but through actions, a parish priest said, as he urged Catholics to emulate the deeds of the saints and to nurture their relationship with God.
In a homily delivered during All Saints’ Day, Santisimo Rosario Parish Priest Fr. Glen Mar Gamboa said believers can follow the example of the saints by deepening their relationship with God and extending genuine love to others.
“Love is not only something we express in words, but something we put into practice. Even for just one person, we can give our time, care and kindness. We do not have to wait until we have more to give before we love,” he said at the Santisimo Rosario Parish on Sunday, Nov. 1.
“Let us not forget why we are here and what truly matters in life. Let us strive to build genuine relationships with God and the people He has entrusted to us,” he added.
The priest cited the need to examine whether one’s relationship with God and other people are based on love
“If love is genuine, it should not depend solely on whom we like. We must learn to love with kindness, forgiveness and compassion. Our hearts cannot be made whole if they are closed to God and others,” he said.
“When love fades, the relationship also loses its vitality.”
Gambia cautioned against expressions of affection that lack commitment and urged the faithful to practice forgiveness and compassion, even toward people they find difficult to love. He encouraged Catholics to sustain their relationship with God through daily prayer
Gamboa also challenged the faithful to check whether they are truly active in their relationship with God, saying some of the deceased may be more ‘alive’ than those who remain on Earth.
“A living person has a good relationship with God… The dead may be more alive because they have a good relationship with God in the afterlife,” the parish priest said.
Gamboa also reflected on the word “hallowed,” meaning holy or revered, contrasting it with the term “hollowed,” which describes a life left empty by the absence of love and a meaningful relationship with God. The saints serve as examples of lives rooted in faith and love, he added
“When a wall or pillar has nothing inside of it, we call it hollow. Our hearts are also the same when it has no love or connection with God,” Gamboa said.
Gamboa noted that the Ilocano word for cemetery is Campo Santo or “holy field,” reflecting the Christian belief that the deceased are entrusted to God’s mercy. He said visits to cemeteries should express not only remembrance of departed loved ones but also hope in the resurrection and reunion in God’s presence.
“When we visit the cemetery, it is not only because we are grieving their loss, but because we hope for life with God. We remember them in the hope of meeting them again in His presence,” Gamboa said.
The Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints every Nov. 1 to honors the models of the faith, including those who have not been formally canonized. The occassion also reminds Catholics of their call to lives their lives with holiness and love. F — Francia Migyel Violeta
