“Beauty will save the world” – This basically sums up Fr. John Paul Del Rosario`s rousing talk tonight, which focused on how Mary is our true model of love.
Using a compelling combination of rap, personal stories and laugh out loud humor, Fr. Rap-rap, as he is also known, talked about how we are all called to mirror Mary`s beauty. More than just a Belo or Calayan-esque beauty, he talks about a beauty that “emanates from goodness.”
It is a beauty that comes from:
- being favored. God set Mary apart for a special mission.
- living out this favor. Mary, despite being “full of grace”, was still human. She had to cooperate with the grace given to her.
The qualities of Mary`s beauty:
- Mary`s beauty is undeniable. According to Fr. Rap-rap, “`Pag mabuti kang tao, `di mo `yan kayang itago. (If you are a good person, you cannot hide it.)” It is like being in love, it will eventually show.
- Mary`s beauty mirrors the love of God for the world. It is a universal love that embraces all. Fr. Rap-rap shared about how he met a person who disapproved of so many gays being active in the Church. He answered him, “If all their life, they have experienced consternation and being excluded..then they should find a home in this Church..No one should be excluded.”
Mary was and is constant. Even at the crucifixion, she stood at the foot of the Cross. Fr. Rap-rap explained, “Mary was standing up at the crucifixion, she could have made lupasay `di ba? [She could have started flailing around, right?].” Her posture is indicative of the role she plays.
Her role is inclusive and expansive. Fr. Rap-rap said, “This is why we are called Catholics, we are the Church that includes all.” Mary shows us how.
Ending his talk, the irrepressible Fr. Rap-rap said that our call is to become true Catholics, breaking down boundaries. It is so easy to have divisions and sometimes, it seems so natural. He added, “We like separation, coño kayo, jologs kami.Exclusive village kami, gilids kayo”. In following Mary, our call is to love as God Himself loved, embracing everyone. [Nirva`ana Delacruz, SFC ICON Interactive Team]