Fr. Tony is former Delegate Superior in the Philippines before he was assigned to the British province. He shares with us some of his insights into the spiritual dimension of the Philippines.
t
is often said that if there is a people living in the times of the Spirit, it is
the Filipinos. Not everyone would
agree with this, but surely one of the signs of our time is the Filipino
people’s quest for Spirituality. Whether
the Filipino’s quest follow an orthodox Gospel pattern of Spirituality or not,
is not the intention of this reflection and would need a larger more complete
article.
The Filipinos’ vulnerable, hero-martyr view of themselves has naturally led them into a strong empathy with the Suffering Christ. Hence, the Filipino popular devotion to the Hesus Nazareno (Christ carrying his cross).
While it is true that, during the last 15 years the Filipinos have been plagued with several social, political and economic ills, there is still much of the Gospel Spirituality that has become very much part of their life. In this sense, the affirmations of some western theologians that, after four centuries of Evangelizations, Gospel Christian Spirituality has remained foreign to the life and to the culture of the Filipinos seem to be exaggerated. Others say that in the Philippines there are some 70 languages full of words signifying material objects, but poor in expressing spiritual realities. Hence, they conclude by saying that the Filipinos are unable to grasp Gospel Spirituality.
What is clear, in my opinion, is that Gospel Spirituality entered the Filipino mind and heart through the eyes. This is somehow literally true. The very first conversions to Christianity in the Philippines have been facilitated through the eyes, through the images of Santo Nino (The Holy Child) and of Hesus Nazareno (Jesus of Nazareth, on the Cross). This does not mean that Filipinos are incapable of understanding concepts. Nevertheless, it can say that generally, the Filipino approaches to Spiritual Realities is based on intuition rather than logic; on faith rather than reason; on feeling rather than thinking. In turn, for Filipinos, this gives an importance to, not what is thought or said about God, but how the people’s faith is lived and felt through the eyes.
The Filipino Spirituality is concretely manifested in the popular devotion to Santo Nino (The Holy Child Jesus). The extraordinary attraction and love the Filipinos have towards the Santo Nino is concretely expressed in and through thousands of prayers, statues, songs and processions that take place throughout the 7,100 islands and isles. The child image of Jesus Christ is certainly attractive to people like the Filipinos who are naturally child centered. In some ways they find their personality reflected in the child Jesus.
The Filipinos’ vulnerable, hero-martyr view of themselves has naturally led them into a strong empathy with the Suffering Christ. Hence, the Filipino popular devotion to the Hesus Nazareno (Christ carrying his cross). Identification with the Suffering Christ is expressed in the Pasyon (chanting of the accounts of the Passion of Jesus in people’s homes during the Holy Week). Identification with the Suffering Servant is also expressed by hundreds of flagellants and others who ask to be crucified on Good Friday in order to atone for their sins. Above all it is to help Christ and share His ordeal, to become his bosom-friends.
It would be too general to say that there are only two elements to Filipino spirituality. These are but two of many aspects of Filipino spirituality that is still searching to define itself. And, defining itself it is simultaneously being transforming with the world that surrounds and animates people’s lives.
(From Mission, The Xaverian Way, Summer 2000)