It was so beautiful and moving to see a well-attended Cathderal mass overflowing to the outdoors.
Bishop Pablo Virgilio David is the elected Chair of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and the Bishop of San Roque Cathedral in Caloocan. He is an excellent homilist. He leaves you with questions to ponder and reflect upon.
The third day of Simbang Gabi homily centered on the question: Is this a problem or a mystery?
He said, a problem, according to Gabriel Marcel, an author, looks at the situation separate from ourselves.
As an example, St. Joseph secretly decided to divorce Mary after finding out she was pregnant. He did not want to shame Mary in the community. He was trying to solve a problem.
Until, the angel came and spoke of not being afraid, as Mary has been chosen to become pregnant with the child Jesus. But what if this was not a problem, a mystery instead?
When viewed as a mystery, it is hard to understand as it is complicated – how did Mary become pregnant when not consummated marriage yet, physically?
Yet if viewed as a mystery, to understand with the heart, don’t panic, it can be comprehended and seen as not separate from ourselves.
That mystery becomes part of our faith.