Friday, December 22, 2006 Don’t put off change in character: Vidal
THERE is no putting off Christmas even though the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit was postponed, so there is no reason to delay character change.
That was just one of the messages in Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal’s homily during the sixth dawn mass yesterday that he officiated at the San Lorenzo Ruiz parish church in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City.
His homily was filled with parallelism to the Asean summit preparations.
“Even though times are bad, we should celebrate since Christmas will not be postponed,” Vidal said in Cebuano.
Politics
“In a word, have you undergone character change?” the cardinal asked.
“Hawan na ba ang dalan alang sa Ginoo? Gi-abunohan na ba ang liba-ong sa inyong mga kakulangan sa kahingpitan? (Have you cleared your path to the Lord? Have you filled in the potholes of your want in this time of need?),” Vidal asked the parishioners.
The roads were asphalted and repaired in preparation for the summit, originally scheduled last week and now set for the second week of January.
Vidal earlier noted that while the streets look clean and peaceful because of government improvements, there is no peace in the country’s political situation.
The prelate reminded hundreds of parishioners to put Christ in the center of everything that we do.
He worries that the people have become too busy with Christmas tree decorations, writing Christmas cards and Christmas shopping that the essence of Christ has been forgotten.
He urged the public to be good, to tell the truth and be just.
Dawn masses
“Aron ma-change ang character from bad to good, good to better and better to best, sugod sa kaugalingon, unya na ang isig ka-ingon (start with yourself, before you ask others to change),” Vidal ended his homily.
The San Lorenzo parish is one of only two churches where Vidal is celebrating dawn masses this year.
On the 24th, the archbishop will officiate the dawn mass at the Our Lady of Fatima parish in Basak, Mandaue. (JGA/With JST)
