Manila Archbishop Jose F. Cardinal Advincula urged devotees of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno to serve willingly and live out their devotion beyond acts of religious practice, stressing that devotion should not be treated as a transaction with God.
“Ang debosyon ay transformacion, hindi transaksyon,” Cardinal Advincula said in his homily during the Holy Mass for the construction of the new San Pedro Bautista Building at Quiapo Church on September 11, 2026.
In a gathering of prayer and thanksgiving, Cardinal Advincula presided over the Eucharistic celebration and reflected on the physical sacrifices devotees make during the Traslacion and other expressions of devotion to the Nazareno.
He said devotees should not regard attending Mass, pulling the rope during the Traslacion, or enduring physical hardship as ways of bargaining with God for favors.
“Bago pa po natin pagsilbihan ang Poong Nazareno, una na Niya tayong minahal nang walang kundisyon,” he said.
Cardinal Advincula gave three calls to devotees: maglingkod nang kusa, magtiis araw-araw, and yumuko nang tapat.
He explained that serving willingly means embracing service without expecting something in return. The Cardinal reminded that genuine devotion is rooted in love rather than an exchange for blessings or favors.
The Cardinal also called on devotees to persevere daily, saying that the physical endurance shown during the Traslacion should continue in the ordinary struggles of Christian life.
“Ang kapistahan ng Poong Nazareno at ang Kanyang Traslacion ay isang araw lamang, ngunit ang pagiging alagad Niya ay habambuhay,” Cardinal Advincula said.
He added that devotion should strengthen a person to face the longer “procession” of life, where faith is practiced through daily responsibilities and moral choices.
“Ang buong buhay po natin ay isang walang humpay na translacion patungo sa kabanalan,” he said.
On humility, Cardinal Advincula reminded devotees to examine themselves before judging the faults of others. He said humility does not mean looking down on oneself, but refusing to look at others from a position of superiority.
“Ang pagpapakumbaba ay hindi nangangahulugang pagtingin sa sarili nang mababa, kundi ang hindi pagtingin sa iba mula sa itaas,” he said.
To illustrate this, he shared the story of Tomas, a Hijo del Nazareno and mamamasan who returned home exhausted and bruised after the procession. When his wife confronted him for arriving late and leaving household responsibilities unattended, Tomas knelt and apologized, recognizing that carrying the cross of everyday life also requires responsibility and humility.
Cardinal Advincula concluded by reminding the devotees not to leave their devotion inside the basilica but to carry it into their daily lives.
“Maglingkod nang kusa. Magtiis araw-araw. Yumuko ng tapat. Ito po ang translacion ng ating buhay,” he said.
Photo by Cedric Andre Tan / RCAM Media | Photogallery
