The WORD in Other Words by Fr John Cruz SVD (Philippines) for Friday 2nd Week of Lent
A new building construction is surrounded with rituals. Feng shuia ascertains the construction date and design flow of the building to attract swerte (good luck) and avoid malas (bad luck).There is also the padugo or live blood offering smeared on the foundation’s cornerstone, accompanied with incantations to appease spirits and ensure stability, safety, and “protection.” Embedding time capsules in the cornerstone, for historical marking, has recently also become popular.
Today, the Son of Man is described in the gospel as the stone rejected by the builders. It has become the cornerstone, that is, Jesus Christ. A cornerstone is important in engineering construction because it serves as the reference point upon which all measurements follow. With Christ as our guide and reference, the spiritual life we build upon Him will be strong. Jesus, indeed, is our firm foundation.
We should not rely too much on these beliefs or paniniwala because our faith should rest only in the power of God. A Holy Mass and an offering of blessing prayers will suffice to mark new constructions, because we have dedicated to God first and foremost our human endeavors. What the Father gives is grace, better than any swerte combined and overcomes any malas possible. The Son’s blood spilled for our sake in the celebration of the Eucharist is far stronger than any other blood offering.The Holy Spirit is the only spirit who guides and protects us from all evil. Let us then live the days given us in God’s presence.
Source – The WORD in Other Words, Bible Diary 2020
