Revising the Santacruzan prayers as a weapon against terrors
May 31, 2003 | 12:00am
Amid the numerous terrors that overshadow the whole world such as war, mysterious diseases, succession of calamities like earthquakes, tornadoes and floods, we realize now, more than ever, the need to pray to call on Our Savior. Jesus Christ gave His life by being crucified on the Cross to redeem us from sins. This redemptive power, activated mainly through prayers, can release us from all forms of suffering. Therefore, during our Greenhills Santacruzan, I felt it necessary to add two more prayers to our Santacruzan hymn of Dios Te Salve – Psalm 91 and St. Francis’ prayer, "Lord Make Me An Instrument of Your Peace."
God will save you from hidden traps and from deadly diseases. He will protect you like a bird spreading its wings over its young. His truth will be like your armor and shield. You will not fear any danger by night or an arrow during the day. You will not be afraid of diseases that come in the dark or sickness that strikes at noon. At your side 1,000 people may die, or even 10,000 right beside you. But you will not be hurt. You will only watch what happens. You will see the wicked punished.
The Lord is your protection. You have made God Most High your place of safety. Nothing bad will happen to you. No disaster will come to your home. He has put His angels in charge of you. They will catch you with their hands. And you will not hit your foot on a rock. You will walk on lions and cobras. You will step on strong lions and snakes.
The Lord says, "If someone loves me, I will save him. I will protect those who know me. They will call to me, and I will answer them. I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them. I will give them a long, full life. They will see how I can save."
We have always thought that the traditional Santacruzan May procession is a tribute to the Mother of God, Maria, as the most powerful intercessor for mankind. What Son can refuse His Mother’s plea?
Thus, we sing the Hail Mary prayer in Spanish:
Dios te salve Maria, llena eres de gracia
El Señor es contigo, y bendita tu eres
Entre todas las mujeres, y bendito es el fruto
De tu vientre Jesus
Santa Maria Madre de Dios...
It is sad that we have desecrated the Santacruzan by converting it into a mere beauty pageant and even a circus. When my daughter was 18 years old, she was asked to be Reyna Elena in Mandaluyong and found herself as only one of 15 other Reyna Elenas. Recently, the Mandaluyong Santacruzan even featured superheroes like X-Men, Wolverine, Storm and Lastikman, instead of the banderadas or flagbearers, the lead personages of the procession. Even the raucous band of black-skinned Ati-atihan dancers and gay exhibitionists erase whatever spiritual message this holy procession is supposed to suggest.
We celebrate this 23rd year of the Greenhills Santacruzan with the village leaders: Northeast Greenhills president Carlos and Tessie Yam, and Special Events committee co-chairpersons Oscar and Lourdes Carriedo, and Barangay Greenhills Kagawad Yolie Bacani; North Greenhills president Atty. Don Alviar and Assistant Board Secretary Arnedo Lucas; Greenhills East 2nd vice president Captain Rafael Azada; and Greenhills West president Doreen Yu and board member Genie Ong.
In response to our urgent plea to lead these prayers for the protection of the country from all forms of terror, MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando and wife Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando came to join the procession in spite of very important commitments. The Fernandos’ selfless commitment as public servants has been reinforced by their prayerfulness.
Where there is hatred let me sow love,
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And when there is sadness, joy
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek,
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love,
For it is in giving that we receive
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life
Since 1991, the Greenhills Santacruzan procession would assemble along the Shrine Avenue of Greenhills on the corner of Eisenhower and Annapolis streets. On Eisenhower are the holy monuments of Angelique Victoria, the Shrine of the Holy Family with the Pharisees, Our Lord of Love and the murals depicting Our Lord and Savior Educator of Heart and Spirit, Our Lady of Hope and Joy, and Angel Cecile Marie. Whereas, the statue of St. Francis of Assisi stands around the corner of Annapolis by Ristorante La Dolce Fontana which is dedicated to St. Francis. The Shrine Avenue is one of three shrines Our Lord requested mystically through His Mother with the help of mystic-artist Punay Kabayao-Fernandez during three national disasters particularly that of the EDSA revolution.
If we reflect deeper we realize that Santacruzan really signifies the Cross, the sign of salvation, the sign of protection. The Santacruzan festival will come and go but one must realize that the Sign of the Cross prayer is part of our daily lives as we initiate all our prayers with it. Invoking the Blessed Trinity, we say, "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" while touching our forehead, chest, left and right shoulders. Our body symbolizes the small world. Thus, it is said that each Sign of the Cross we make invokes the salvation of the whole world as well. So, be reminded to daily bless your loved ones, specially your children with this sign of protection.
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