If Nathanael’s father were alive with us today, he would indeed be a “proud” father. He sired an apostle of Jesus. And we all remember that apostle by his father’s name! If my father were still alive today, he would be seventy-one years old. I saw him walked down the aisle of the Manila Cathedral with overwhelming joy on the day of my ordination to the priesthood. Eleven years since then, I sometimes wonder if he is still beaming with joy in heaven for having sired a priest of the Lord. But, aside from relatives and close friends, very few people remember my father. If I were Nathanael, I would be called “Barcarlos”, “Roberto Barcarlos”, “Roberto son of Carlos.” But I am not Nathanael, and people call me “Father Bobby”. But both Nathanael and I are gifts of God to our fathers even before we are their gifts to Him.
Ito nga po ang ipinagdiriwang nating ngayong unang araw na ito ng taong 2011: ang “yes” ni Maria sa wish ni Lord. Dahil sa “yes” na ‘yan – buong-buo, tapat at mapagkumbaba – si Maria ay naging ina ni Jesukristong tutoong tao at tutoong Diyos. At dahil tutoong Diyos nga po si Jesus na isinilang ni Maria, kinikilala natin si Maria bilang Ina ng Diyos, bagamat hindi kay Maria nanggaling ang pagka-Diyos ni Jesus. (Para pong ganito ‘yan. Ang tawag ninyo sa nanay ko po ay “nanay ng pari”, pero hindi po galing sa nanay ko ang pagkapari ko, hindi ba? Ang nanay ko po ay nanay ng pari dahil ako na anak niya ay pari.