Salt and Light

(An excerpt of the Most Reverend Romulo G. Valles, D.D. in his Homily during the 88th Parochial Fiesta of San Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral, Mati, Davao City, September 10, 2025.)

Karong adlawa dili lang fiesta sa Mati Cathedral, also the fiesta of Tandag Cathedral, and also fiesta of Surigao City Cathedral; Diocese of Surigao, Diocese of Tandag, Diocese of Mati. Tungod kay gamay nga note, maybe many of you would know, kini nga area, Isla Mindanao, the whole area for a period of years was under the Augustinians. And San Nicolas is an Augustinian priest. Busa nahimong daghang mga lugar nga San Nicolas de Tolentino, usa ka Augustinian, nahimo siyang patron sa Surigao, Tandag ug sa Mati.

And thinking of San Nicolas de Tolentino as Augustinian, Bishop Abel, I thought also of our new Pope, Pope Leo XIV is an Augustinian. Pareha silag Order, kanang present Pope nato ug si San Nicolas de Tolentino pareha sila mga Augustiniano. And I thought today, naghuna-huna ko naglingkod didto ang motto ni Pope Leo nga usa ka Augustinian, atong present Pope, in Latin “In Illo Uno Unum”. In the One we are one. Mao pud na ang mission ni San Nicolas, to bring us all, to be one with Christ. For 88 years in Mati, in this area, surely it was just a small community but hinay-hinay, we were and we are now a community, more or less starting to be one with Christ. Malipay si San Nicolas magtan-aw kanato nga nagkahiusa karong adlawa nga libot sa altar sa Ginoo to be one with Christ in this Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. But also to be one, to be usa diha kang Kristo would require for us, as beautifully explained by Bishop Abel sa imagery sa Gospel, kon makighiusa kita kang Kristo murag naay challenge to be true member of the one Body of Christ, to be salt of the earth and light of the world, a beautiful imagery.

Then I would like to point out two things. Come to think of it. Ang salt practically does not add anything. It does not add anything. Ang salt ibutang nimo sa matambaka mao lang ni ang matambaka. Ibutang nimo sa karneng baboy, sa gulay molami gyud siya. So it is a hidden thing, adding nothing because ang molami dili ang salt, molami ang sud-an. Think about that. And then ang light. Light does not add anything. Kung palungon ang suga dinhi karon, naa gihapon mga benches, naa gihapon ta. Pero kay naay light the same thing you would see. Salt and light properly does not add anything. But ang anaa would be enhanced.

Number two, salt and light, in order to be salt, to be asin, mahilis gyud ka. Naay advertisement sa Bohol karon asin tibuok gwapo kaayo. Palit asin tibuok imong i-display nindot, dili gyud na asin kung dili ibutang nimo. Akong candle dala sa Europe gwapo kaayo, mahal ug dili gyud na sindihan dili gyud na candle. You can only be a candle if it is consumed. It is only true salt when it is mixed unya mawala siya. That is the challenge.