Mary is Our Hope

(Homily of Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao during the Archdiocesan Marian Procession, May 27, 2023 at Martinez Hall, ADDU. )

Today, in this wonderful gathering and in this Eucharist, I would like to highlight three things about the blessed Mother. Three things which I believe are in the Scriptures, which are in the Bible.

Ang usa ka tinuod nga devotee sa Blessed Mother Mary kanunay alive, very conscious that I should belong to my parish, I should belong to my GKK. Matod pa sa PCP II the second Plenary Council of the Philippines, ingon niya, no one is so poor, kay ang atong excuse ayaw nalang ko kay naglisod ko, kulang ko, kapos ko sa panahon kay daghan kog problema sa kinabuhi. Ingon ang PCP II, in the Church, no one is so poor that she or she has nothing to give. Always na may ikahatag kita, may ikapresenta kita, may ika-apil kita sa Church. Be in the Church as the Blessed Mother Mary, acts of the Apostles, early picture of the small church, Mary was there. Busa, karon ang challenge nato, once again, in this special assembly of Mary and devotees with the nice procession afterwards, one important thing that we should remind ourselves: revive that kaamgohan that consciousness that I should be in the midst of the Church.

Mary, our hope, nice theme. But here is a very concrete application that Mary is our hope. There is hope whenever we do whatever His Son tells us. Do whatever He tells you. Maybe ang challenge is not personal for us. It may be in our circle, in our communities. If each one of us in daily life, we would inspire people, our friends, our officemates, our suki, our mga katilingban. In one way or another, our message is: we will do whatever Jesus tells us. So, karong adlawa, special day with Mary and for Mary, she is our hope, the mother of Jesus.

• First, we become men and women of hope if we remain in the Church like Mama Mary. Be with the community of His disciples.
• Second, we assure of hope. We will sustain, we will survive if we do whatever He tells us. That is the advice or almost command, sure command directive of Mama Mary. Do whatever He tells you. That is the second scene in the Scripture.
• Third, the scene of the Holy Mass. In the mass, we are in the presence of the passion and death and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Who stood at the foot of the cross? The virgin Mother Mary. Every mass, we should thank the Blessed Mother Mary because she stood at the foot of the cross. Mother of hope stood at the foot of the cross. Therefore, in the worst of times, Mama Mary is our example because she stood at the foot of the cross. It was in Calvary, it was in sacrifice of the cross that Jesus our hope and our Savior that He declared she is our mother. Kada misa, do not forget the presence of the Blessed Mother. And, in that presence, we know, we remember in the Bible, in the Scriptures that Jesus proclaimed her as our mother. And, therefore in that sense she is always bringing us hope, confidence, and strength.