Opus Dei

(An excerpt of the Most Reverend Romulo G. Valles D.D. in his Homily during the Feast of St. Josemaria Escriva at San Pedro Cathedral Parish, June 25, 2025.)

I would like to thank the Opus Dei Community for requesting and I am happy that you would be here integrated in this novena mass this evening so that people would continue to hear about you, about St. Josemaria Escriva. And truly, among our people, the big community, you would be the yeast, the style of Opus Dei, the yeast among our people, its gentle presence and helping us inspired by you and St. Josemaria Escriva to grow in our faith.

So, what do we have today? What grace can we ask the Lord through St. Peter, the Apostle, our patron saint and through Josemaria Escriva, the saint that we are remembering today, the Opus Dei community. First, I was struck by the phrase in the first reading when the Lord says to Abraham, “Do not be afraid.” When I heard these line by the priest, these words, I thought that was only the famous line by Saint John Paul II. Maybe God noticed the hesitancy of Abraham because we face, the presence of the Lord, the Lord promised to Abraham a grandiose family, impossible in all estimation of Abraham that this can be fulfilled. God’s graciousness, God’s plan was beyond the comprehension of the very faithful, not sinners, faithful Abraham. The Lord noticed this, I’m sure and said, “Do not be afraid.” By all combination, it was an impossible promise to fulfill. But the Lord said to Abraham, “Do not be afraid.”

If I may imagine also before he became a saint, Padre Josemaria Escriva, there were instances that he was daring, saw visions about spreading the faith. But I would imagine the many times that Josemaria was afraid, meeting obstacle, fear. Also, I would imagine making him holy, Josemaria Escriva, the Lord whispered to him, “Do not be afraid.” Now from heaven, Josemaria would be smiling being, looking down at us. To use that kind of image, looking down at us. “There were many instances that I have hesitated, I was afraid. But the Lord told me, ‘Do not be afraid’, took my work now, this silent, gentle work of the Opus Dei community spreading all over the world. “Do not be afraid.”