Fifty years ago, during my first parish assignment in Mindanao, I couldn’t help but notice the frequent use of statues in the spiritual lives of the people. Nearly every parishioner’s home had an altar with statues of their patron saints. During Holy Week and fiestas, parishioners would follow statues of their patron saints in long processions often under the hot midday sun. They even used statues in dance rituals especially on the feast of the Holy Child. But clearly the most dramatic use of statues happened every Easter during the dawn ritual called the “Salubong” (meaning “the Meeting”).
The Salubong ritual involves two processions – one carrying the statue of Jesus and the other carrying the statue of His Blessed Mother who is often veiled in black. The two processions meet in front of the parish church or barrio chapel at which time the veil covering the face of Mary is removed symbolizing the joyful reunion of Jesus with His Mother. Although this “Meeting” is not mentioned in the bible Filipino Catholics perform the Salubong ritual to celebrate their belief that the mother of Jesus was the first to see her Son on Easter morning.
The Salubong ritual points to the importance of The Motherhood of Mary in the life of Filipino Catholics. They commonly call her “Mamma Mary”. I got an insight into that importance years ago while I was talking with some women doing laundry at their barrio spring. In that conversation I happened to mention that I was preparing a homily for the feast of the Assumption and I needed to find a scripture passage about Mary going to heaven after she died. My problem, I told them, was that the Bible, like the Easter Salubong, does not mention the Assumption of Mary.
A grandmother in the group then said, “The Assumption is in the bible, Father”. She got her Bible, searched out the reference and said…. “See Father, here is what Jesus said to his mother when she arrived in Heaven…”
“Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me into your home, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” (Matthew 25: 34-36)
Like most Catholics I know this reading is part of a parable about the Last Judgement. It is often read during funeral services. In the parable Jesus identifies with the least among us, and then promises to welcome all into his Kingdom who gave food, water, shelter, clothing, health care, and friendship, to the least in our communities especially in their times of need. Jesus goes on to say…“Truly, I tell you, just as you did to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25: 40)
The grandmother I met at that barrio spring knew in her heart that Jesus first said these word to his mother who actually did care for Jesus in his times of need. She nursed, fed, clothed, and sheltered Him when he was in a stable in Bethlehem. She protected Him and held Him close when she and Joseph fled to save Him from Herod’s soldiers. And, at the end of his life, she was His comfort when He was imprisoned, tortured and died.
On Easter morning Filipino Catholics celebrate the Salubong ritual to honour their belief that the mother of Jesus was the first to meet Him after He died. And, like the grandmother I met years ago, Catholics here believe that Jesus was the first to welcome his mother into his kingdom after she died. And they believe that “Mamma Mary” showed us how to live on Earth so that we too will be welcomed, like her, into the Kingdom of heaven…. Because we cared for the least among us in the same way his mother cared for her Son when He was hungry, homeless, sick, suffering, abandoned and dying on the cross.
Post Script
After writing this article I returned to the barrio spring where I had that conversation with the grandmother to take some photos. With me came three women with their laundry. One was Laga Durangparang (wearing the blue hat in this photo). For over a decade, Laga cared for a fellow Columban, Fr. Pat Farrell, during his long fight with cancer. The second was Mayet Rivera (wearing a red dress). Mayet worked for years to save enough money to pay for her blind father’s cataract surgery. The third was Juvy Lopecillo (wearing jeans). Recently Juvy shared her small home with a sick friend who was recovering from a serious ailment. I imagine we’ve all come to know similar caring people.
