The 7:30 A.M mass at the Manila Cathedral-Basilica was the first mass for the Solemnity of Mary, the Immaculate Conception. It was the Feast Day of the MCB because Mary, the Immaculate Conception is her Patroness. It was the Feast Day of the Philippines because Mary, the Immaculate Conception is her principal patroness.

After Prayer After Communion, the usual Novena for Mary the Immaculate Conception was said, the Oratio Imperata was prayed, the Theme Song for papal Visit 2015 was performed with action and same faithful offered flowers before the statue of Mary, the Immaculate Conception courtesy of MCB Volunteer.

In the homily taking into account the readings of the day, it was pointed out that there are people who can accept their faults or wrongdoings but there are people who cannot accept them. People, who cannot accept their faults or wrongdoings, put the blame on others. This happened to our first parents as narrated in the first reading of today’s Solemnity. It was Adam who was first asked by God if he ate the forbidden fruit. He did not accept but put the blame on Eve and Eve did not accept either but put the blame on the serpent. The serpent turned out to be the first culprit.

The serpent symbolizes the temptation to go against the will of God. Since Adam and Eve followed the serpent, they turned out to be culprits as well, even if not the first.

We will always have the serpent around to tempt us to go against the will of God. In fact, the serpent has triumphed on us that we went against the will of God for his creation. We have sinned against God for not taking good care of his creation.

Now creation has been going against us through the super-typhoons that ravaged and continue to bring havoc to our land, the recent of which is Typhoon Ruby.

But the Lord still has mercy and compassion on us because as we have prayed to him Typhoon Ruby gradually weakened from 210 to 195 to 175 to 145 kph.

Like Mary in the Gospel of today’s Solemnity, we should seek rather to do God’s will instead of just depending of his mercy and compassion.