Filipino Christians are a people of devotion. We express our religiosity in novenas, processions, festivals, songs, and, most important, the Eucharist or the “breaking of bread” during the Holy Mass. “The Eucharist is not just an obligation for many Filipinos, it’s a devotion. A holy commitment,” says Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. According to Cardinal Tagle, the Filipinos, especially the poor, draw strength from the Eucharist. They pour their hearts out in prayer. They listen attentively to homilies and teachings to find inspiration. “In the Eucharist, they find a companion in Jesus who promised, ‘I will be with you’ at a time when there’s so much loneliness and individualism all around, that there is always Jesus they can turn to.” And that, the Cardinal says, is the role of the Eucharist in people’s lives. Image by Noel b. Pabalate It is through these devotional practices—ingrained in each and every Christian’s heart and mind, from praying the Angelus promptly at 12 noon and six in the evening to doing the [...]
