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By Marvin Kenneth M. Santos, Contributor
Two women waiting in line to see “healing
priest” Father Fernando Suarez watch closely as an assisting
priest bestows prayer and blessings on a small crowd:
“Anong ginagawa niya? [What is he doing?]”
one of them asked.
The other mumbled a reply, prompting the first
woman to ask again.
“Ano? [What?]”
Another mumbled reply.
“Ano sabi mo? [What did you say?]”
The exasperated companion looks toward the
priest and says, “Father, paki-pray-over niyo nga ito, bingi eh
[Could you please pray for my friend, she’s deaf].”
Humor was just one of the ways people used to
amuse themselves waiting in line to see Father Fernando Suarez
during a healing Mass he conducted at the National Shrine of the
Miraculous Medal in Barangay Sucat, Muntinlupa City.
Most killed the time by making small talk with
their companions or with total strangers who came from the nearby
subdivisions or as far away as Batangas and Pangasinan. They
compared notes on the various ailments they had, as well as the
treatments they had sought.
They either stood or sat on portable chairs,
constantly fanning themselves in the 32-degree heat or holding up
umbrellas to the scattered showers that rained on them.
Occasionally, they would step to the side as far as they could to
make way for the ambulances that brought devotees who collapsed in
the heat to a nearby hospital.
All, however, looked with longing at the single
grey spire of the Miraculous Medal Shrine, with the hope of meeting
Fr. Suarez who is now more than a kilometer away from them.
Lola Zeny de la Cruz of Muntinlupa, standing at
the end of the two-kilometer line despite her arthritis, believed
her faith could heal her as well as her husband, who had problems
with his eyesight. “Pananalig lang naman ang magpapagaling sa atin
. . . kahit makaabot lang kami sa gate at hindi mabasbasan ni Father
OK na [Our faith will make us well, so it’s enough for us to just
reach the gate, even if we don’t get blessed personally by Fr.
Suarez].”
Meanwhile, halfway down the line, Councilor Rey
Bulay sat silently on his canvas-and-metal folding chair and tried
not to mind the oppressive heat of the sun. “I’ve been waiting
since 5:30 a.m.,” Bulay said, pausing to take a sip of what
appears to be an herbal supplement drink. The Muntinlupa City
councilor went on to explain that he had problems with his blood
sugar, and he hoped that Fr. Suarez’s blessing would somehow cure
it.
When told that he could proceed directly to the
“priority lane” because regular parishioners of the Miraculous
Medal Shrine were allowed to go in, he refused. “OK na ‘to,
sakripisyo ko na ito [This is my sacrifice],” he said, smiling. He
remained firm, even if politics seemed to be at work again.
Apparently, not everyone is as patient as he
was, as several enterprising residents went around, offering to take
people to the gates of the Miraculous Medal for P150 via a short cut
going through Posadas Village, bypassing the two-kilometer line.
A good number of those who came were content
just to attend the Mass. A woman from Bicutan came to seek the
blessing of good health for her family. “Para makaiwas sakit sa
buong taon [Just for good health this year],” she said, adding,
“Wala naman maysakit sa amin pero para lang ito sa mga sakit-sakit
ng tiyan, ng katawan [No one is really sick in our family but this
is just for minor ailments].” She plans to attend another healing
Mass by Fr. Suarez on February 1 at nearby Marcelo Green Village.
Back at the end of the line, another man joins
the wait for Fr. Suarez. He says he is just seeking the healing
priest’s blessing. “Papa-bless ka rin? [Are you seeking Fr.
Suarez’ blessing too?]” he asked, puffing on his cigarette.
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