PHILIPPINES: A NATION OF CONSECRATION TO BLESSED MOTHER MARY

What is it about the Philippines that despite the numerous growing pains it had to undergo in its transformation from a Spanish colony to a democratic Republic; makes it a special nation that is consecrated to the Blessed Mother?

As records indicate, from the very first Philippine Easter Mass celebrated by Fray Pedro de Valderrama as ordered by Ferdinand Magellan on March 31, 1521 followed with the baptism of Rajah Kolambu and Rajah Siagu until the installation of the first Cross, it was already a pre-destination of things to come; that this consecrated nation was destined to be the largest bastion of Christianity in the Far East.

To date the Philippines is the world’s second largest Catholic country in terms of population, next only to Brazil. As a concrete testament of its consecration to the Holy Infant Child Jesus (Sto. Nino); annual festivities commemorating the traditional Feast of the Sto. Nino are held annually at Cebu City and other nearby islands.

The Filipinos are themselves family-oriented, deeply religious, and devoutly prayerful with a special devotion to the Blessed Mother. Despite the many hardships brought about by economic difficulties and natural calamities, we persevere and are very much resilient, always exuding a positive outlook in life; with a happy disposition trusting in God that everything will work out well in the end.

Is it any historical coincidence then that the Blessed Mother has always been our Mother of Perpetual Help in times of great need as was seen in Her Maternal Intervention during the 1986 EDSA People Power Peaceful Revolution that was witnessed by the entire world as the handiwork of our Lady of EDSA, also known as the Blessed Mother Mary?

We Filipinos are so intimately fond of and quite demonstrative of our love for the Blessed Mother. We actively display this fondness by way of regular Wednesday Novena Masses at the Redemptorist Church in Baclaran as a sign of Maternal Dependence and Devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Even at social networking sites such as Facebook, we happily greet our Dear Blessed Mother on her September 8 Birthday as our own; by registering personal greetings and posting portraits of endearment to demonstrate our acknowledgement of a Spiritual Mother who is faithfully relied upon to provide Divine Assistance in our hour of need.

Following these analogies, it comes as no surprise that the Philippines is thus foretold to be the next Promised Holy Land. In her book, The Modern Temple, which can be downloaded here, Sister Clarice Evelyn Suarez Catipay fully explains why the Philippines is destined to be such: 

The Blessed Virgin Mary said:

“The Holy Trinity has chosen this blessed land, the new Jerusalem of the modern world. Although present conditions tend to becloud my message, what with all the calamities happening again and again, these sufferings are but a part of the tests that your country must undergo as the world’s Cinderella.

Cinderella is best remembered today as a fairy tale, but the truth behind that story is that the Philippines represents Cinderella herself. Viewed from the heavens the map of the Philippines resembles that of a woman washing clothes, a common sight in your countryside. Orphaned, maltreated, abused and mocked by two stepsisters (two rich countries that refuse to help her) who are beautiful and fair of face but vile and black at heart, all she dreams of is to make good in her work as a lavandera. If you seriously contemplate the sound of lavandera, does the sound not also mean the flag? That is why, last week, I gave you the spiritual significance of your national flag.

Cinderella has North Luzon as her head, with the rest of Central and Southern Luzon including the Visayas as her body, and Mindanao as her lower extremity with Zamboanga as her knees. With the island of Palawan as her hands, she appears in a sitting position to be washing a piece of cloth which is a portion of Borneo. Cinderella is not aware whether the piece of clothing she is washing belongs to her or not, hence the current dispute with another country (Malaysia) over possession of that part of Borneo (Sabah).”

Doesn’t it make you wonder after reading such, if the geographical make-up of the Philippine Islands was merely by coincidence or by creation of Divine Intervention? She further reveals:

The Virgin Mary appealed to the Filipino people:

“This is the beautiful story of your country. When physical proofs of St. John’s revelations will take place in this world, you as a people, will finally discover your true identity which you have been searching for but have not found up to the present time. When the mental knowledge of man (humility), and the fascinating discoveries of science will merge with the infinite wisdom of God then and only then will you realize the vital role that you have to play as a people of this blessed archipelago.

My children, I ask you to offer prayers for all those who are now suffering, who are victims of the recent calamities which I have warned you about. Pray that those who are still alive may continue to hope for a better life. Pray that what they have experienced will help them to be better persons that will make them closer and more pleasing to God Almighty. Pray that those who have yet suffered and are to suffer will have enough strength to endure the sufferings to be given to them, for this is for their own good.

Now that you have known who is Cinderella and have fallen in love with her, will you continue your quest for her hand in spite of the trials and difficulties which she has asked you to hurdle?”

As additional proof of the Blessed Mother’s consecration and love for the Philippines, the author further reveals an in-depth explanation of the spiritual significance of the Philippine Flag.

The Blessed Virgin Mary disclosed that:

“The Philippines will not only survive her present economic difficulties but will emerge a greater nation from this period of trials and tribulations because of the unique spiritual significance of your national flag which in the future will be respected around the world.”

People of this blessed country do not realize it but your national flag was divinely inspired. I ask that you respect and truly love it and avoid doing anything foolish to destroy the country it represents.

The color blue in your flag is the color of Infant Jesus, and the white is that of the Father. The three stars are the symbol of the Holy Trinity, while the sun in the middle is the symbol of the omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent God.

The triangle is the symbol of perfection in the spiritual world. The color blue is the highest spiritual color. It stands for “peace and serenity.” Red stands for justice and courage, white stands for purity, pure knowledge and wisdom which comes only from God the Father.

The gold in the stars and the sun stands for the innumerable blessings, both spiritual and material, that will come forth to this nation if only you will learn to love one another and put an end to all these petty bickering which will only lead you to the brink of despair.

Do you see the two sides of the white triangle and the line in the middle which divides the red and the blue? That is the letter ‘Y’ which stands for Yahweh. And if you trace the three sides of the triangle and follow the same line in the middle and lower half of the edge of the flag, do you not see a key? This is the key that will unlock all wisdom, both God’s and man’s, both spiritual and material, that mystics and searchers all over the world will find only in this country. And if you remove the triangle and point the flag downwards, you will clearly see the letter ‘M’ which stands for Mary or Maria.

Is it any wonder to you then why this country has been especially consecrated in my name and the patron saint of this nation is none other than my Infant Son whom you lovingly call the Santo Niño?

This is the reason I am appealing to all of you not to desecrate this sacred symbol and the blessed country it represents for truly, I say to you, you have a special place in the bosom of God the Father.

My children, God’s love for you is within you, it is in you. Cultivate it, develop it, for God created all things good. It is only human beings who make things bad. Cultivate God’s love in you. The awareness that God loves you will also help you. Be aware of your own love for Him.

How then can you reciprocate the Divine Love of God?  Learn to suffer. Learn to accept the difficulties of life. Learn to see the beauty in every suffering that He has given you. Learn and be aware of others suffering around you. The awareness will help you to help others in their own sufferings.

Your country will undergo more difficulties in the future for God has a strange way of instilling discipline among his loved ones but if your people will accept these difficulties with resignation and patience in the same manner that I suffered quietly and without complaint as I watched my only begotten Son suffer in the Cross, the Philippines will be one of the most blessed countries in the whole world for you Filipinos want to believe in God and the people want to change their lives.

But more prayers and sacrifices are still necessary for the things I have promised, a beautiful and better country, unsurpassed in both spiritual and material wealth.”

After having read the context of the Blessed Mother’s revelations for the Philippines, I now begin to understand and better appreciate the historical perspective of the development of our Christian Faith; as to why we as a deeply spiritual and faithful people have evolved to be the only predominantly Catholic Christian nation in Asia.

Thus, our continued trials and tribulations confronting us as a nation is not by mere coincidence but a confluence of events designed by Divine Intervention. It is meant to be our spiritual purification as a people who despite our own limitations and weaknesses; equipped only with our human traits of patience, resignation and resiliency, we are able to transform ourselves to be God's chosen people. And hopefully worthy enough to be considered as His inheritors of this predestined Promised Land that is the Philippines.

We thank you Blessed Mother Virgin Mary for showering us with your Divine Maternal Love and for consecrating us to You and to Your Holy Son, Jesus Christ. Viva la Immaculada Concepcion! Viva Senor Sto. Nino! Praise be to God the Father Almighty! Praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ and Praise be the Holy Trinity! Long live the Filipino People! Honor to the Philippine Flag! Viva Las Islas Filipinas!

Edwin L. Yap

Makati City, Philippines

     

INSCRIPTIONS OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP

 INSCRIPTIONS OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP

The Devotion to Our Lady Of Perpetual Help is deeply rooted in our culture that the Filipino people have long adopted the Blessed Mother to be their Divine Comforter in their hour of need. This religious tradition is very much alive and still widely practiced every Wednesday where multitudes of devotees attend the all day Novena Masses held almost hourly at the Redemptorist Church in Baclaran, Philippines.

The popularity of this Devotion owes much to the fact that by the numerous testimonies of miraculous healings and granted petitions, the Blessed Mother is truly the Spiritual Comforter of those who seek Her Maternal Assistance and Divine Intercession. As a matter of fact, She is the greatest Intercessor of all, being the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The interesting history of how the Image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was relocated to its present site at St. Alphonsus Church beside the International headquarters of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, the Redemptorists; attests to the series of miraculous intervention by the Blessed Mother, who had earlier appointed this same place to be Her permanent shrine.

Despite the fact that the Image had been numerously moved to different places due to the French occupation in Rome, it is undoubtedly by Our Lady’s intervention that it would find itself installed in the same original site from where it was first enshrined.

For a better appreciation of one's Devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, we contemplate on the interpretation of the symbolisms of the Icon as reprinted in bold letters and explained fully here.

One artistic manifestation of it was the emergence of the class of icons called Cardiotissa, from the Greek word kardia, meaning heart.  Cardiotissa means “having a heart” or showing sympathy and mercy and compassion.  In them the face of Our Lady appears full of sorrow, yet supremely dignified in her contemplation of the sufferings of her Son. His passion is represented by angels holding instruments of His passion, most often the cross, the lance, the sponge, and the nails.  Icons of this type in Russia were called Strastnaya (from the verb to suffer).

The Our Mother of Perpetual Help icon is of this type.  The angels holding the instruments of the Passion have their hands covered with a protecting veil as a sign of reverence in handling sacred objects.  In some Eastern rites, for example the Armenian, the deacon has his hand covered with a silken veil when he carries the gospel book.  And in the Roman Rite, the priest covers his hands with the humeral veil when blessing the people at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

The Child Jesus is shown with an adult face and a high brow, indicating His Divine Mind of Infinite Intelligence.  As God, He knew that the angelic apparition was prophetic of His future passion.  Yet in His human nature as a small child, He is frightened and runs to His Mother for protection.  Our Lady hastily picks Him up and clasps Him to her bosom. 

This action is indicated by the fact that the Lord’s right foot is nervously curled about the left ankle and in such haste that His right sandal has become loosened and hangs by a single strap.  Further action is indicated by the way the Child Jesus clasps His Mother’s right hand with both of His, holding tightly to Our Lady’s thumb.

Our Lady is clothed in a dress of dark red which was long reserved in the Byzantine world for the Empress alone, indicating the Queenship of Mary.  We know that reddish purple was considered the noblest color in the ancient world.  Recall that Our Lord said “Those who are clothed in purple and fine linen are in the houses of kings.”

HIDDEN MEANING OF THE INSCRIPTIONS

What is even more intriguing are the symbolisms of the various inscriptions that are evidently located at the upper left and right side portion of Our Lady’s head. After a detailed search over the Internet, I was elated to discover that the meaning of the said inscriptions were fully explained in a December 2007 book titled “The Modern Temple” which was written by Sister Clarice Evelyn Seville Suarez of Kidapawan City, Philippines.

Sister Clarice is an active member of the Congregation of the Universal Sovereign Church of the Blessed Name 01230-6-4 Jesus Joseph or USCBN which began with the establishment in 1975 of the Shrine of My Catholic Faith by its founder, Reverend Mother Victoria Vera Piedad.

In her book, Sister Clarice explains why the Philippines was already a chosen nation that is consecrated to the Blessed Mother and her Infant Child Jesus and why it is destined to be the next Holy Land.

A complete PDF copy of The Modern Temple can be downloaded here.

The following statements in bold letters are lifted from her book The Modern Temple:

Reverend Mother Victoria Vera Piedad, OPM-OPR, the founder of the Universal Sovereign Church of Blessed Name 01230-6-4 Jesus Joseph, came as a person, manifested Herself in many locations, lived with the people from all walks of life, built the universal cathedral, personally taught Her children and revealed the secrets of the Living God. Her relics and memorabilia are intact in the USCBN Cathedral and in many living witnesses with whom She has closely interacted.

Her apparition in physical form is in fulfillment of the forgotten promise about the coming of the Holy Spirit - the Third Person of the Godhead - the Highest Spirit.

She came as a woman and as a mother because “as a mother, I can reach out and be close to everybody without causing any problem because a mother is for all.” (Mother)

Reverend Mother Victoria Vera Piedad, OPM-OPR is the Blessed Virgin Mary at the time of Jesus Christ. She is the Third Order of the Holy Trinity. She personifies the Holy Spirit.

As the Blessed Virgin Mary, she is also known by many names: as Mother of Perpetual Help, Our Lady of Fatima, Mother or Our Lady or Virgin of Barangay, Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Mediatrix, Our Lady of Peace, Our Lady of Rosary and many other names in Her numerous apparitions in different places and countries around the world. “Ang lahat ng Virgins ay ako rin (All the Virgins, I am the original”). (Mother)

  

Her order is Order of Perfection of Mankind (OPM) and Order of Person Reparation or Redemption (OPR). According to Mother, Her Order is the Third Order of Reparation - Mediatrix between God and Man. Her truth endures to all generations.

The letters OPM-OPR are embossed on the upper left and right sides of the image of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. The other letters around the Image are OY - Order of Youth; MP - Mother Philippines while the Roman numerals symbolize the number, 01230-6-4.

Her name, Victoria, means “Victory"; and Vera Piedad means “bring me to eternity.” As the promised comforter, She is the Spirit of Truth, the Sanctifier and the Advocator.

If the MP inscription is solely meant to be Mother Philippines, then there can be no doubt that from the time this Icon was initially painted, it was already revealed by our Blessed Mother that the Philippines is truly an anointed Nation that is close to Her Heart and is therefore consecrated to Her and Her Son Jesus Christ.

One fact remains to be indisputable, by way of the present traditions of Wednesday Novenas to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the Filipino people have shown their great love to the Blessed Mother whom they consider to be their Spiritual Comforter and Perpetual Provider of Divine Help.


EDWIN L. YAP
Makati City, Philippines