Overpowering Love
Homily on Wednesday, 2nd Week in O.T, Memorial of St Agnes, 21 Jan 2026, DBPH Chapel, Talamban
The Gospel today (Mk 3:1-6) presents to us Jesus as one who shows mercy and compassion despite the risk of being criticized. He can even go beyond the rules of society just to pull out a troubled person from the paralyzing situation of his disability. What actually happened was this. He was in the synagogue on a Sabbath Day and while preaching, he noticed the man with a withered hand among the crowd. He approached him and after a brief conversation with him he thought of stretching out his hand while saying a silent prayer in order to cure him. The man got instantly cured and realized he could, in return, start stretching out his hand to others who might also be in need of his help.
How amazing God really works especially for the weak and the disadvantaged! It’s a clear pattern that we see in the whole Bible, in the entire salvation history. Going back to the Old Testament, today’s first reading (1 Sam 17:32-33, 37, 40-51) presents to us how a very young shepherd was empowered to defeat a seasoned warrior. On that day when young David struck Goliath with a single stone and using his enemy’s sword beheaded him, God proved to the fearful Israelites in front of the vast Philistine army that one’s faith and trust in God can overpower even the most powerful forces in this world.
The same pattern can be seen in the lives of the saints.
Fast forward, in the year 304, a young virgin proved herself to be a strong lady – and really hard to get. Her name was Agnes. Despite the risk of being arrested and executed, she believed in Jesus and totally dedicated herself to Him whom she considered her divine Spouse. Men who were charmed by her beauty tried to rape her but they were immediately struck blind; others were struck dead. The Roman authorities even attempted to burn her at stake but the flames failed to harm her body as her faith and love for her divine Bridegroom remained constantly strong.
By her remarkable fidelity and perseverance in God’s grace she won the martyr’s crown at the age of 12 after finally being beheaded by her persecutors. Today we honor her as the youngest virgin martyred for the faith in all of Christian history. We pray in this Mass that we who are also being tried and tested everyday in our faith may one day proclaim with King David, St. Agnes and the man cured by Jesus the words we have sung in today’s Responsorial Psalm: “Blessed be the Lord, my Rock.”
Allow me to end with this prayer in Cebuano the text of which was translated from the Latin Roman Missal by our group just yesterday. It is the Opening Prayer for the Mass in honor of one virgin:
O Dios, mibuot ka sa pagpabilin diha sa putling mga kasing-kasing; pinaagi sa imong grasya, itugot nga, uban sa pangaliya ni Santa Ines, nga birhen, magkinabuhi unta kami sa ingon nga mahimuot usab ikaw sa pagpuyo dinhi kanamo. Kini among gipangayo pinaagi ni Kristo, among Ginoo. Amen.
Disclaimer: This section of the website is a personal creative writing of the author and does not necessarily reflect the official views, opinion, or policies of the Salesians of Don Bosco – Philippines South Province. For concerns on the content, style, and grammar of this piece, please contact us.
