“Called to Be Light in the Church”

(An excerpt of the Homily of the Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D. last February 2, 2026 on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord & World Day for Consecrated Life at San Pedro Cathedral Parish, San Pedro Street, Davao City.)

First, all of us, especially mga madre, sisters, mga pari, ako, we held lighted candles. Kay another name of today’s feast of the Presentation of the Lord is Candelaria, I know almost all of you would know the reason why apil man ang kandila.

The use of lighted candles in this feast today, may procession sa kandila, comes from the Gospel reading. Si Simeon, ning kugus sa bata. Ni ingon siya, “He’s the light of the nations.” Siya ang kahayag. This child, this Christ, is the light of Gentiles. He is our light. My dear friends, brothers, and sisters, mga religious sisters and brothers, mga pari, ning gunita sa kandila, lighted candles.

Those candles, so each candle, unta, reflects our lives, that become light to others. Simple, but that’s the gift given to us. Everybody is challenged to be the light of the world. But since, ingon sa council, in a very special way, you go closer, mo-relate, mo-embrace ni Christ. So ang logic, you become the light of the world.

Unya, ang mga madre, mga brothers, mga pari, kami pod madasig unta ninyo to become lighted candles, the light to our people today who are experiencing different kinds of darkness and suffering.

First reflection, i-renew nato ang challenge, simple, to reflect Christ’s light to our brothers and sisters today. Second, in the Gospel reading, a good amount of listening, especially on the part of Mary and Joseph. I presume that in our communities, we do a lot of listening and reviewing.

We listen to the scriptures at mass, readings. We listen to the words and thoughts of our foundresses and founders. We listen to one another in our meetings. But the listening that we see in today’s Gospel reading is listening to outsiders. Kay tendency, we listen to our voices among ourselves. We become echo chambers. We like to hear voices that’s pleasing to our ears. But do we listen to strangers? Strange voices.

You know, there’s no indicator that Mary and Joseph knew Simeon and Anne, unless may scholars mo-kontra dina, “Wa.” So, Simeon and Anne, nakurat si Mary.

Can you picture, good imagination, ning abot si Simeon, pag sulod ni Mary ug Joseph, unya iyang gikuha ang bata? Nakatawa ko pagbasa ana kay, bes, nag-ilog si Mary, “Unsa man tigua nga kuhaon nako ang bata?” Ha! gikuha ni Simeon, ana. And Simeon spoke. Spoke, and great words from a stranger. Ah, and then Anna, also a stranger, spoke wonderful words about the child, Jesus.

Yes, we listen to one another in our communities, the thoughts, words of founders, the scriptures, but maybe also the challenge of listening today is listening to outsiders, those who not spoke our own language, but nevertheless, they are God’s children. And maybe with open ears, like Mary and Joseph, we’ll hear the voice of God through them.

So a new kind of listening is asked of us religious and people in consecrated life. Second, ingon sa Gospel, at the end of the monologue of Simeon, ingon diri, “Joseph and Mary were amazed.” Sa pista kanila, ang translation, natingala.

Mary and Joseph were amazed. Very important disposition for us who serve the Church in the forefront, because truly, when we hear and see God’s presence, we ought to be amazed. And no, no doubt, when there’s true amazement, ang atong tuhod nga weak na, motindog ta kay amazed by God’s presence. Pero mangluya na, wa nay amazement. Dawat na lag St. Peter’s, But they were amazed!

So challenge, no doubt, God will constantly speak to us, but the challenge is not only listening, but listening more deeply and open to God’s message today, that we’ll be amazed.