I have been reflecting for the past few days about the Nazareno festivity because our professor Pastoral Sociology, Father Eric Aldoviso, gave us a reflection paper about this. He asked this question: “What do you think was the Nazareno festivity, was that a chaotic activity or an act of piety?
Just recently, I remember, I went there three days before the actual feast day. That time I already felt the intensity of the occasion. Going there riding on a jeepney, I noticed that some streets of Manila were almost closed and some were already hard to pass through. Moving slowly through it were bands of pilgrims. Each was carrying their small scaled size of Nazareno. Quite observable also, was their uniform shirt… all bearing the face of Poong Nazareno. This make them distinct to all passersby. It was common to see members praying and responding to a rosary leader, many were carrying candles, most were bare footed. I thought that this afternoon was just one of the ordinary afternoon three days ahead of the festivity of devotees, but only then I realized it was not. People were already flocking. Devotees are already pouring in.
Being almost caught captive and locked up into the heavy traffic, I decided to walk and go with the slow moving flow of the processing pilgrims. I heard one group speaking in Pampañgeno. Others were Tagalog speakers, they say that they were from Bulacan. Most were from nearby places of Metropolitan Manila. I tried to pass through them until I reached Quaipo Church where a mass was already being heard. People flocked inside and it was almost impossible to go through.
Since I’m already late for the mass, I decided to go to the Nazareno instead before the Parish administrator take him away and bring him at the Luneta Grand Stand. There was a very long thick line. While on the line, many were already crying while praying, many were pushing themselves just to get nearer. It seems that everybody, including me that moment in time, wanted to get into where the Nazareno was. All of us carry in our hearts the different intentions that we wanted to whisper to the Nazareno. We all carry in our hearts the petitions that we wanted to give to the Nazareno even just for a glimpse I could see him, even just for a moment I could touch him, even just for a moment I could hold him. Until my turn to kiss to foot the Nazareno came. From my pocket, I put out my wet hanky (because of my heavy perspiration since it was very hot) and slowly wipe it to the foot of the Nazareno. It seems that during that so little moment, after the long line of waiting, I finally felt that all my prayers were heard. I am praying to him to heal my father who is in the hospital. After my encounter with the wounded Christ, my heart leap for joy.
Following me was a sick man. He has wounds all over his body. He even knelt and begged Jesus to heal him to show his sincere desire to get well. It seems that all of us who went to the Nazareno were like this man with incurable disease. All wounded yet all hoping and all praying for healing. Like other Filipinos, touch is one way of my communication to others. During that time, it seems that I was not the only one who wanted to touch Jesus. All of us wanted to be healed. All of us braved the throng of crowd just to touch Jesus even for a little while.
On lookers from other faith usually asked this: Why there’s such a commotion? Why it seems that there was chaos going on every time they see the Nazareno procession from afar?
But when you are a devotee, you would see a very different perspective: it is not chaos at all, it is the expression of every pilgrim, like me, who felt that our prayers were heard. Our eyes were opened, and our hearts leap for joy. The Holy Spirit touched our hearts and all of us burst into tears. Our woundedness was healed. And all of us become witnesses of Jesus Christ’s grace and mercy. Jesus Christ who was also wounded suddenly became our loving healer. Jesus Christ… our wounded healer. It is grace. It is order.
After the wounded man, there was this woman. Crying. She’s claiming that her son was healed. She just can’t stop sobbing at the foot of the Nazareno. She’s been reapeatedly saying “salamat po...salamat po (thank you, thank you).” I realized that I also burst into tears. I felt something that there was good something happening. In each one of us, we all felt that there was a home coming to the heart of Christ. After a long time of being alienated, I felt that I am touched. That I am forgiven in that simple expression of thoughtfulness. I felt that God touched me... there’s a new life sprouting from that moment. I felt that I am not isolated no more. That I am again in communion with God and with His people.
Feast Day. The next time I saw Poong Nazareno, I saw Him from a far. Millions of people were already surrounding Him. Millions of people were all dying to touch him just like us some few days before His feast. In a seemingly chaotic picture, I am certain that there was a graceful movement between human act of piety and divine intervention. There’s no commotion... may bigayan (giving; taking turns). Meron mang mahawakan, hindi sinasadya (no one dare to intend to take advantage against one another). There were women carrying the Nazareno, but they were protected by men. Somebody accidentally pushed me because he was suddenly outbalanced but humbly said his sorry. They were cases of accidents but all were attended. At the end of the day, no one was seriously hurt. The Nazareno has guided us all and has protected us all.
Upon going home after days of sacrifice-- with their towel, t-shirt, image of Nazareno-- pilgrims bring with them their own stories that they will share to others. Stories of their encounter with the Beloved Amang (Father). Stories of their encounter with their fellow namamata (devotees). Stories of prayers being asked to God and prayers being answered by God.
The activity was never a profanity, nor a vain expression of one’s obligation. It is an encounter of communion with the Lord Himself. It is deeply seated in love. It is beyond the sacrifices we offer. The feast day is not only about ourselves but about the Son of Man who loved us who ever we are and whatever we become. It is a holy act, an expression easily understood by any touching Filipino.
As a sociologist, I see the occasion to bring back old members back to the Church. It is a great chance to catechize the people. It is a good venue to relive the faith and explain the faith we are embracing. We must educate them little by little to instill in their hearts that Nazareno devotees are also responsible. That the Nazareno devotees understood the meaning of what they are doing... that we respect Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament... the Jesus Christ in every Holy Eucharistic celebration where we accept Him body and blood.
The occasion could be a great tool towards religious and social behavior modification. It would cost us so much labor to change the pattern that devotees seemingly doing again and again, but by using the appropriate mass media that we can provide, tomorrow it would be a reality. At the end, the love for Nazareno would bring us all towards understanding the Church as we see it as a vehicle towards new evangelization. And since this year is also a Year Faith, from the Nazareno we could rediscover the beauty of our Church teachings and traditions. Indeed, the Nazareno experience invites us to witness the life of the sacrificing Christ in our own daily lives.
Like Him, the Poong Nazareno, we are also called to offer our own sacrifices in the ordinariness of our life-- making our simple life extra-ordinary because we make it as a life inspired by Love and Self-Sacrife.
As I end, I pray...
Lord, I come to You
As a broken soul
I lift to you all my shame and my fears
Heal me with your love.
Den Mar
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