This bishop’s message to a generation afraid of waiting

Hundreds of bishops and priests take part in the 4th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (WACOM), which runs from Jan. 16 to 20, 2017. ROY LAGARDE

MANILA– As if sending a direct message to the generation that grew up on fast food and broadband internet, a prelate called on the faithful to do away with the fear of waiting.

“Do not be afraid to wait… because love is patient, and love always waits. Do not be afraid to wait… even if it takes forever,” said Lingayen – Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, who gave the homily on Jan. 17, day 2 of the World Apostolic Congress on Mercy (WACOM) 4 at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Quadricentennial Pavilion.

According to him, despite modern notions that “time is gold”, “time is money”, “time lost can never be recovered”, waiting plays a special role.

‘God’s time’

“It is the time you spend with your rose that makes your rose very special. It is the time spent [waiting] that makes love truly awesome, truly divine,” said Villegas.

Ultimately, one who lives mercy knows how to wait, he said.

“Mercy challenges us to wait for the kairos, to wait for the right time, to wait for God’s time.”

When one learns to wait, good things happen, Villegas said.

“Do not be afraid to keep quiet, to keep still, and allow the Lord to speak to you.”

Secret to peace

According to Villegas, on a wider context, a merciful world that knows how to wait will live in peace.

“Our best kept secret and no longer a secret to peace is mercy. … And it is by the power of our mercy, patterned after the mercy of the Almighty that the world will see the peace, the freshness, the new life…that it has been looking for all these years. Do not be afraid to be merciful,” he said in closing.

Papal legate to WACOM4 Archbishop of Lyon, France Philippe Cardinal Barbarin presided over the Holy Mass, extending Pope Francis’ apostolic blessing to all those present. CBCPNews