Saint Paul the Apostle: The Model of Proclaiming the Joy of the Gospel

“We are one in Christ Jesus.” These powerful words from one of Saint Paul the Apostle’s epistles resonated deeply during the 43rd Parochial Fiesta of San Pablo Parish. Bearing the theme “San Pablo Apostol: Sumbanan sa Pagsangyaw sa Kalipay sa Ebanghelyo”, this momentous annual event was celebrated last January 25, marking the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle. It was a day of great joy and a testament to our faith in Christ Jesus through the intercession of our patron, where the thirteen different GKK Zones united as one body to solemnize the spirit of this feast.

This year, the feast day coincided with the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time and the celebration of National Bible Sunday, honoring the Word of God as the source of our life. The festivities commenced with an 11:00 AM Pontifical Eucharistic Celebration presided by Rev. Msgr. Edgar P. Labagala. He was joined by concelebrants Rev. Fr. Dioscoro R. Saniel (Parish Priest), Rev. Fr. Ramon C. Jamora Jr. (Parochial Vicar), Rev. Fr. William Cajes, Rev. Fr. Ar-jay Bayron, SDV, Rev. Fr. Joey Joaquin, and Rev. Fr. Randy Diamante, SDV.

The central reflection of Msgr. Labagala’s homily focused on the essence of Saint Paul’s mission: spreading the Word of God with unwavering faith. Msgr. Labagala expounded on the concept of “LIFE” through four key pillars: Light—the Word that illuminates our darkness (referencing Matthew 4:12-23); Integrity—the Word unified and integrated into our daily living; Faith—the Word that strengthens our belief in the Good News; and Engagement—the Word that reaches out to each and every one of us.

Quoting scripture, Msgr. Labagala reminded the faithful that “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” The homily also highlighted Saint Paul’s dramatic transformation from a persecutor of Christians to a zealous preacher, spreading the glory of our Savior until the end of his life. The mass concluded with a message of gratitude from Fr. Lord and a final blessing from Msgr. Labagala.

The celebration continued with a program organized by the Parish Pastoral Council and spearheaded by the Parish Youth Apostolate. With grateful hearts and high spirits, parishioners and GKK Servant Leaders (GSLs) from the thirteen zones participated in various activities, games, and the highlight of the event: the salo-salo (community feast). The atmosphere became even more exciting as winners from different zones were drawn for raffle prizes. To conclude the program, Fr. Lord gave his closing message of thanks, reminding everyone to emulate Saint Paul in spirit and in work.

The essence of this parochial fiesta demonstrated to every faithful member of our community that, ultimately, we are united in Christ Jesus. Like Saint Paul, we are called to spread the Good News of salvation—even at great cost—and to become models of proclaiming the joy of the Gospel!

Happy 43rd Parochial Fiesta! Viva San Pablo! Viva Jesus! (Rev. Jericho R. Tubiera)