Millions of devotees from all over the Philippines and beyond gather in Manila every year on Jan. 9 to participate in the Feast of the Black Nazarene – one of the country’s biggest, most intense religious events known for its vibrant energy, deep devotion, and extreme passion. Here, devotees from all walks of life united in their devotion try to touch or get close to the revered statue of the Black Nazarene, hoping for healing, blessings, and fulfillment of other petitions.
The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene and Parish of Saint John the Baptist, popularly known as Quiapo Church, which is slated to be declared a national shrine on Jan. 29 according to The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila, stated this year’s theme as “Ibig po naming Makita si Hesus (Juan 12:21),” simple words expressing a profound longing for a personal encounter with the Son of God.
“The Greeks love to see Jesus. The four people in the logo also symbolize us today, who have a desire to see Jesus,” the Quiapo Church stated in Filipino. Just like the Greeks who wanted to experience a miracle, “the same is the desire of people until now who continue to come to the home of the Lord Jesus Nazarene, seeking a miracle, something that will give comfort, peace, filling the heart that cannot be found in the things of this world.”
Perhaps people, especially devotees, realize that it is difficult to fill the heart with what it loves if it does not seek and open itself to the one who truly loves it, the church mentioned. “Only the dear Lord Jesus of Nazareth can fill our hearts.”
“In our quest to see Jesus, just like in the Gospel, it is not only a Greek who seeks to see Jesus. This means that we are not alone in seeking to find the one who can truly fill our hearts. Many of us long and travel to find the one that will truly bring peace to life,” the church noted. “This is what we can see in the home of Lord Jesus Nazarene in Quiapo. Many people travel together to see the face of the Lord Jesus of Nazareth. Many people raise their hands in prayer and open their hearts to let Him do good things in their lives.”
“The desire to see is not only about the experience of seeing with the eyes the image of the Lord Jesus of Nazareth. The pursuit of the Greeks and the people today includes the experience of meeting Jesus, talking to Jesus, getting to know Jesus, and clinging to Jesus,” the church conveyed. “We will notice that this encounter with Jesus is an important way to strengthen the faith of everyone who approaches him who is really struggling. This is an important encounter that helps people see the way, the truth, and the life that Jesus offers to everyone, a peaceful, comfortable, and happy life.”
People keep coming back and are coming because of their experience of salvation in the Lord Jesus of Nazareth, according to the church’s account. “They have a real experience of God’s love, especially in the services offered by Quiapo Church to the people. It is proof that everyone’s response to God’s call to love and serve is a true manifestation of the face of Jesus Nazarene in the world.”
Nowadays, it is easy to get lost in the virtual world and forget about the importance of spirituality. But it is still possible to see Jesus, despite His physical absence, in several ways.
One way is to read the Bible, which describes Jesus in detail and can help us get to know Him personally.
We can also pray and ask God to show us Christ’s love and guidance.
We can see Jesus in the lives of other Christians. By observing how they live with grace and love, we can learn from their faith and examples and grow in our relationship with Christ.
In our daily lives, we can practice love and kindness toward others. This reflects the teachings of the Bible to love our neighbors as ourselves.
We can also forgive those who have wronged us and see the good in others.
Being grateful for our blessings and reflecting on them through prayer can help us appreciate God’s work in our lives.
Additionally, we can serve others and spread love and compassion through volunteering, donating to charity, or helping a neighbor in need.
In this digital era, we can likewise start by using technology to spread love, kindness, and positivity to see Jesus.
We can share uplifting messages on social media, connect with others in online communities to support one another, and use digital resources to deepen our understanding of Jesus’ teachings.
We can bring the message of Jesus to more people and make a positive impact on the world by using technology as a tool for good.
