MANILA, Philippines — Manila apostolic administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo, who led the “mass for the dead” at the Manila Cathedral yesterday, reminded the faithful to still be hopeful and give importance to the life they were given even as thousands have died of COVID-19.
“We pray for the eternal repose of our beloved dead, believing that the Lord will bring them to the greener pasture. Yes, we are sad because they are no longer with us. We can no longer share stories with them, but we believe they are in a better situation,” he said in his homily.
Pabillo called on the faithful to be prepared, noting that COVID-19 variants could affect the “glimmer of hope” people have.
“How will we be prepared? Let us do our best in whatever we do now because we cannot wait for tomorrow. We should not say that we have to do it in better times,” he said.
Pabillo also reminded priests and lay people to always bring with them in prayer the grief and pains of their parishioners, especially now that people could not go out of their house because of the pandemic.
“Let us offer the mass faithfully, devotedly. Let us always spend time because those are the things that the people are asking. Let us grieve together with our people, but our grief is a grief that brings hope because we know that death… is a birth to another and better life and better world,” he said.
The mass is an initiative of the Archdiocese of Manila to offer prayers for those who died of COVID-19.