HOMILY AT THE MASS TO WELCOME
MOST REV. EDWARD JOSEPH ADAMS,
THE NEW APOSTOLIC NUNCIO IN THE PHILIPPINES
Manila Metropolitan Cathedral
November 13, 2007
By RICARDO J. CARDINAL VIDAL
Archbishop of Cebu

Your Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales,
Your Excellency Most Rev. Edward Joseph Adams,
Your Excellency Angel Lagdameo,
Your Excellencies, my brother Archbishops and Bishops,
My Brother Priests,
My dear Religious Sisters and Brothers,
My dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

It is an honor and a privilege for me to be present at this celebration to welcome His Excellency the Most Reverend Edward Joseph Adams to the Philippines. It is my pleasure to express my warmest welcome, in behalf of the Filipino people, especially those who cannot be present here today because they live far from the capital, the new Apostolic Nuncio in the Philippines.

Being a native of the United States, Archbishop Adams will immediately feel at home in our country. There are many things American in our land. Our people speak English rather well. We watch movies from Hollywood. The democratic traditions and institutions that shape our political landscape are direct legacies of the American period in our history.

It is, however, as a man who shares our faith that Archbishop Adams has come to our shores. To guide us in our faith, we recognize the authority of Rome, the Holy See, which Archbishop Adams represents. As Apostolic Nuncio, he speaks in behalf of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, thus as we welcome him to the Philippines, we also lovingly reaffirm our loyalty and devotion to the Holy Father, Bishop of Rome and Vicar of Christ.

Archbishop Adams may have already studied the Philippine situation well. We are a nation whose aspiration for full development are often impeded by disunity and corruption. Our faith, though deeply rooted in our hearts, has yet to mature in the form of justice and integrity in our social relations.

Our Gospel today fittingly reminds us Filipinos of responsibilities no matter what our status in life may be. As stewards of God’s work, we are reminded by Jesus to consider ourselves his humble servants, never claiming any credit for ourselves or presuming a debt of gratitude from God: “We are useless servants, we have done only what we are obliged to do.”

“Utang na loob,” the Filipino version of having a sense of gratitude, is presumed not only by the official in relation to his wards, but also by the ordinary Filipino in relation to God. Thus, an official feels indebted to his patrons, and people feel indebted to their officials. The patrons expect something in return, just as the official feels a sense of entitlement in relation to his constituents. Every project he performs for them entitles him to a cut of the fund. And still, the people feel infinitely grateful for his generosity.

What is true in socio-political practice is also true in the exercise of the faith. “Patronage politics” translates into “patronage religion” and vice versa. We look up to God as Giver of good gifts, but our good behavior too holds Him in debt. It is as if we have elected God to be our padron, and therefore hold him accountable for all our needs.

We cannot go on like this. We cannot go on basing our social relationships on the values of generosity and gratitude alone. We must act in terms of duties and responsibilities as well. The performance of our duties must never engender in us a sense of entitlement. “We are only useless servants; we have done only what we ought to do.” And while we may be grateful to people who are conscientious in the performance of their duties, we must not feel so indebted to them to the point of neglecting our own obligations for the sake of repaying a debt of gratitude.

We must find the proper balance between our sense of gratitude and our sense of duty. We are grateful people, too grateful for our own good. We easily fall for anyone who gives largesse with his right hand, even if his other hand is robbing us blind. By assuming our duties and obligations, we can learn to live in integrity and honesty. Saint Paul reminds us in his Letter to the Romans: The only thing you should owe to anyone is to love one another...” ( Rom. 13:8) And love, the Apostle qualifies in First Corinthians, “does not rejoice at wrongdoing but finds its joy in the truth.” (1 Cor. 13:6)

Welcome to our world, Archbishop Adams. The Philippines might be poor in many respects, but when you meet the people whose faith has endured in spite of so many vicissitudes, you will see that we are not a people without hope.

Our hope is in the Lord, who has never left us orphans. Our hope is in the Blessed Virgin Mary, who has always been our mother. Yet, no matter how deeply rooted in this hope may be in the devotion of our people to the Lord and His mother, we the leaders of the Church, cannot simply allow it to degenerate into the complacency and indifference. We must direct this hope into a moral renewal, led by the example of our lives and the charity of our vision. We cannot speak in a cacophony of conflicting opinions. We must always stay united in truth and in charity.

For this, we look up to the Church in Rome, who presides over all others in charity. The Holy Father will be our guide, even as we stay rooted to the particular situation of our people. Confident that the Gospel will enlighten all human condition, we will discern God’s will by the light of His Word.

As we welcome Your Excellency to the Philippines, we wish to express our sincerest thanks to the Holy father for sending us a brother and a friend to help us discern the will of God in the pasturing of His flock. May the Lord, in His mercy, help us to be humble servants, always ready to do His holy will. Amen.