Cardinal Tagle into the world arena

I could have used the words “onto the world stage” in the title but it sounded showbiz-y, so “into the world arena” it is. And while the word arena may suggest racing to win, it still sounds apropos because, indeed, the venue was a huge arena, the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, the venue of the five-day 83rd National Eucharistic Congress held in the United States that ended on July 21. There, the weeks of pilgrimages across the country culminated and began with the congress.

Our very own, Rome-based Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pope Francis’ legate, delivered the closing homily before some 60,000 people, American Catholics of different races and persuasions, including more than a thousand bishops and priests whose procession into the venue took more than 30 minutes, with the cardinal at the end holding a crozier symbolizing a shepherd’s crook. The stadium seated that many people, more than what St. Peter’s Square in Rome could hold which is 60,000 but standing.

Tagle, 67, former head of the Catholic archdiocese of Manila, is currently the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, meaning he is part of the Vatican curia. Well, he is now an OFW (overseas Filipino worker) so to speak. He was already a cardinal when he was called to the Vatican to head Caritas Internationalis and later elevated to the higher rank of cardinal-bishop (adviser to the Pope), the first Filipino cardinal to be made so. He was the papal legate to the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences meeting in Thailand in 2022 where he delivered the Pope’s message.

I watched the US Eucharistic Congress’ huge culminating event live on television, initially wondering what the Filipino cardinal would say to the racially diverse audience or how he would be received. I did not have to wait long because the audience was applauding every so often. He was delivering a homily, mind you, not a speech. If I may use an often-heard addition to the Taglish vocabulary (and with apologies to purists), nakaka-proud. I note here that after the cardinal said his opening greetings in different languages, he did say, “Magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat” which elicited the loudest shrieks from the audience. ICYDK, Filipinos are everywhere.

A national Eucharistic Congress gathers Catholics in certain countries for a renewal of faith. The word “eucharist” means thanksgiving, In the Catholic faith, it is Jesus’ sacramental presence in flesh and blood in the heart of the church. (The 51st International Eucharistic Congress was held in Cebu in 2016.)

Tagle began with the gist of the Pope’s fraternal blessing: “… that the congress may bear much fruit for the renewal of the church and society in the United States of America.” America so politically divided, I could not help thinking. Asked for a special message, the Pope told Tagle: “Conversion to the eucharist.” And gave a tongue-in-cheek admonition: “Behave well.”

As the national congress was to be followed by a sending of “eucharistic missionaries,” Tagle offered reflections linking the eucharist and mission. “Gift” and the gift of oneself was the overall theme of Tagle’s homily.

The theme was taken from John’s gospel: “In the fullness of time, the Father sent His eternal Word, who became flesh through the Holy Spirit … for I came down from heaven, not to do my will, but the will of the One who sent me.” Jesus, Tagle emphasized, had a profound consciousness of having been sent on a mission. He was sent to be given, the missioner is a gift, he added. Mission is not just work but a gift of oneself, of one’s presence. And Jesus’ presence in the eucharist, is a fulfillment of His mission. The gift is for all. “This is my body, this is my blood.”

We sometimes use, in a sarcastic way, the saying “God’s gift to the world” to refer to egotistic persons who think the world of themselves, the know-it-alls, the better-than-thous, the powers-that-be who rule over us. Tagle stressed again and again that to be sent is to be given.

“The eucharist is a privilege moment to experience Jesus’ mission as a gift of Himself,” Tagle reminded. “Friends, what do you see in a poor person, in a homeless person, in the sick person? What do you see in a person, in someone who differs from you? Like Jesus, let us give a gift of presence to each other.”

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He cited those who might hesitate to come—“the poor, the homeless, the migrants, the refugees, the indigenous people, the hearing-impaired, the elderly … the hidden people who might feel they do not belong.” Note: “the hidden people.”

He spoke about those who could not accept Jesus’ message and left him. Jesus asked his apostles, if they also wanted to leave. It was Peter who cried out: “Master, to whom shall we go?”

With a resounding voice, Tagle asked: “Will you leave or will you stay?” The crowd roared: “Stay!”

When the mass is ended, Tagle said, “Please, go … Go! What you have heard, touched, and tasted; you must share.” Be a gift.