AS THE country is beset by political uncertainties, a Dominican priest urged Catholics to dedicate themselves and the nation to the Virgin Mary so they can be cleansed of their sins experience God’s grace.
In his homily for the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Monday, Dec. 8, Fr. Art Vincent Pangan called on the faithful to reflect on their relationship with the nation, their families and themselves to follow the path of Mary.
“Let us consecrate our nation, [o]ur families, our relationships, [and] ourselves to the immaculate virgin. So that one day, we may be like her, we may be greeted like her, and we may be welcomed into paradise like her,” Pangan said at the Santisimo Rosario Parish.
According to Pangan, Filipinos are on their way to becoming “immaculate” despite the messiness of politics and social life as long as they seek the intercession of the Virgin Mary.
“If it is messy, if it is not clean, if it is not yet immaculate, but we are on the way there,” he said.
The priest said devotees would experience “state of grace” if they possess the unreserved mercy of Mary. While the nation has not fully emulated the pure and immaculate ways of Mary, it could be purified through the sacraments, Pangan added.
“If we draw closer to the sacraments, like baptism, which cleanses our sins, and to processions, a sacrament of our repentance to God, our sins would be washed away and we would be on our way to attain a state of grace. We are becoming immaculate like Mary, which is why the teachings told us that Mary was immaculate at the moment of her conception and even after it,” he said.
Pangan said the “grace” mentioned in the “Hail Mary” prayer is different from material blessings.
“She’s full of grace because she has unreserved mercy,” he added.
Pangan reminded Catholics that God would be at the start of every good cause as people purify themselves over time.
The mass celebrated the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, a Catholic dogma which states that Mary was conceived without original sin. F – Marcus Roshaun Holman
This is a very insightful and important to the current religious climate in the country