Jesus Blesses the Children [Feast of the Sto.Nino in the Philippines]

Feast of the Sto.Nino [January 15, 2012]

Mark 10:13-16

13And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.15Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” 16Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

Reflection

Ferdinand Magellan is credited with bringing the devotion to the Santo Nino in the Philippines. When he came to the country in 1521, he had with him an image of the  Child Jesus. Magellan gave this to Queen Juana of Cebu when she was baptized. In 1565 Spanish troops led by Miguel Lopez Legazpi returned to retake the country and Cebu. The troops razed Cebu to the ground. In one large house that was gutted, the soldiers found the image of the Child Jesus that Ferdinand Magellan had given to Queen Juana. For some reason, the image was miraculously spared from the fire. Our devotion to the Santo Nino began with this miracle.

According to the 1981 paper of National Artist Nick Joaquin, the Santo Nino has become a symbol of Philippine history “because it came with Magellan, became a native pagan idol, was reestablished as a Christian icon by Legazpi, and has become so Filipino that native legends annul its European origin by declaring it to have arisen in this land and to have been of this land since time immemorial.”

Today, Cebuanos continue to lead the devotion to the Santo Nino. At the Basilica in Cebu City, which houses the image of the Santo Nino brought by Magellan, devotees venerate the image day and night. Hundreds of miracles have been attributed to the Santo Nino. A voluminous book would be required to record all these miracles.

Like Queen Juana and our ancestors, our Mother Mary and her husband Joseph, let us love the Child Jesus. Let us also love all children. Let us also learn to appreciate the humility, and the genuine and unconditional love of children.

Love all children. Love the Child Jesus. Love the Lord Jesus, and you will be richly blessed.

Source: The Reflection is from Bro. Abel Navarro (you can visit his blog at http://myblogabelnavarroabel.blogspot.com/).