THE Quiapo district of Manila is celebrating its annual fiesta at the Shrine of the Black Nazarene today. Every Friday throughout the year thousands come to Quiapo searching for God’s mercy and love. But the biggest crowds come on Good Friday and on January 9 every year when the district holds its fiesta celebration.
Devotion to the Black Nazarene rests on a strong belief in the redeeming power of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The image of the Black Nazarene enshrined in Quiapo is a reminder that Jesus of Nazareth suffered death by crucifixion – a gross miscarriage of justice, brought about by the enemies of Jesus who had played on the fears of the cowardly Procurator Pontius Pilate.
Christians believe that through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God’s grace can inspire and strengthen people to build a new earth where prejudice, hatred, and injustice have no place. Today’s Quiapo fiesta challenges the faithful to continue seeking the transforming power of God not only in their personal lives but also in the complex relationships and social institutions in the Philippines.
The sufferings of the Nazarene, who gave his life because of his love for all sinners, summon today’s believers not only to repentance but also to action for justice. The unjust sufferings of generations of Filipinos are repugnant to God because they are destructive of human dignity. Today’s feast reminds us that in the final judgment, God is victorious.
May the shrine of the Black Nazarene continue to inspire people of faith to continue to work for justice.
Happy fiesta to all the visitors and residents of Quiapo.
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