Be confident witnesses and proclaimers of the Risen Christ

(Excerpt from the Homily of Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., last May 10, 2026 on the 24th Parochial Fiesta of Ascension of the Lord Parish, GSIS Heights, Matina, Davao City, May 17, 2026.)

We have the prayer from Latin origin: “Gladden us with holy joys, Almighty God and make us rejoice. Make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving.” For, ang reason to be glad, joyful, to be rejoicing. “For the ascension of Christ, your son, is our exaltation.” “And where the head has gone before in glory, the body is called to follow in hope.”

With all our daily life problems. But we come to this Eucharist, this central activity of the Catholic Church, of Catholic Christians. To be around the table of the Lord, bread and wine. But intertwined with the mystery that he went up to heaven. To come to church will be touched by the comfort of faith of the Lord.

Giingon sa second reading from the letter of Paul [to] the Ephesians, “May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him.” Next line, “May the eyes of your hearts, be enlightened that you may know what is the hope that belongs to His call, what are the riches of glory in the inheritance among the holy ones and what is the surpassing greatness of His power for us who believe.”

All of us can offer your joys, mga successes, ministries. Even, muana ra ba, “ay sila lang bishop kay servant leader, sila lang kay naa sa FLA (Family Life Apostolate), sila lang kay naa sa youth, sila lang kay Eucharistic ministry, sila lang music. Sila lang, ako wala man ko.”

No, even silently lang. Ikaw mama nagbantay sa imong anak nagdala sa imohang anak nga mosimba, you are not a catechist per se. A silent papa and mama, already teaching your children to be followers of Christ.

In the ascension of the lord. Does that mean He is away from us? Is He distant from us? Wala na Siya? Nisaka sa langit? Now, He ascended to heaven and seated at the right hand of the Father. Wala na Siya? No, He is present, but He goes back to the Father. But, now He can be with His father and oversee all of us. He’s now in full operation, to be with us, wa Siya mahilayo, and close na Siya kanato.

Then, last from the Gospel, we are not only asked to be witnesses, we are asked also to sanctify. Go to the whole world, teach, form and baptize everyone who believes in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.

My dear friends ang fiesta sa parokya di lang patron saint but ang fiesta sa inyong parokya is one of the mysteries of Christ.

Gladden your hearts and a big smile, be sure that the eyes of your heart can see the Lord and be confident to be witness of Him our savior and be confident that the grace to touch us, the grace to sanctify can be done in the church.

To all of you my dear friends. Happy fiesta!