DEVOTION to the Santo Nino is happily widespread in our country. Wherever we
go, we always see forms of this devotion acted out usually by our simple folks. I must say that this is a tremendous asset we have.
Aside from this, we also give popular cult to Our Lady, St. Joseph, the saints, and even our dead. I believe that it is in these spontaneous pious exercises that our soul as a people can truly be seen. We are fortunately a deeply believing people.
We don’t merely stop at the level of the sensible, the earthly and temporal. We don’t simply rely on the practical, the intelligible and reasonable. We go beyond these dimensions, and enter into the world of faith, developing a piety to go with it.
Thus, thanks to God, we Filipinos possess a deep treasury of piety which we live not only in a personal capacity, but also in a social and popular way. I believe this is a great blessing that helps to keep us one and united as a people in spite of our divisive shortcomings.
It is also for this reason that I would dare to say that if we really want to resolve our unavoidable differences and conflicts as we look, as a nation, for our progress and development, we should purify and strengthen our faith and piety.
I believe this is where we can find those ultimate unifying elements we need as a country, even as we consider different options, conflicting views and positions in our inescapable temporal affairs like our business and politics.
I don’t believe this claim is baseless. I’ve seen it heavily validated by experience. I’ve witnessed many instances when clashes are softened and even agreements and reconciliations reached as long as parties and people pray.
I’ve met people who, even if their defects seem be more than their virtues, manage to make progress simply because they pray a lot. I’ve also met people who, because they don’t pray, cannot help but create problems even when there should be none.
I believe that the many forms of popular piety we have are a manifestation of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They amply capture our people’s deepest yearnings, anxieties and concerns. They become a powerful prayer linking us with God.
But, yet, it cannot be denied that they need to be purified, regulated and strengthened. We need to find out if they properly inculturate the faith. That’s a very delicate task, needing profound and comprehensive study and keen discernment.
They have to be purified from superstitious elements and the illicit sense of magic that somehow manages to seep in and distort them. These things are like parasites that spoil otherwise good developments in our collective spiritual life.
Popular piety should also be properly focused and made to grow to maturity, freeing them from the tendency to shallow sentimentalism and self-seeking aims and self-serving maneuvers.
They have to be soundly grounded on doctrine and adequately regulated by competent Church authorities. These days, they should help us in tackling our social concerns properly.
Thus, there is a great need for some systematic plan of catechesis. Forms of popular piety should improve not only our relation with God, but also our relation among ourselves, which can be seen and measured in concrete terms.
Also, that delicate task of harmonizing popular piety with the Church’s entire liturgical life should be undertaken. This should pose as a real challenge to the competence of our Church’s authorities.
Someone has told me, rather lightheartedly, that we Pinoys don’t really have serious doctrinal problems. Our problems are more of the disciplinary kind. We tend to get wild and unruly as well as too sentimental and passionate for law and order to take full effect.
Just the same I believe there has to be a more systematic plan to deepen the doctrinal formation of the faithful, whether of the simple or the sophisticated type, especially these days when good and bad elements come together in society.
This should be done in the field of popular piety.
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