Inspires: Tano ta an apod kan Bikolano ki Maria, Inâ | Ascension Presents: Why Catholics Call Mary Their Mother

 Ascension Press and Ascension Presents 

in collaboration with Inspires 

give you this riveting magnum opus.‎..

Condensed Reflection 

by James Z. Carpio

Here in Bicolandia, we call her Ina. In the history of the devotion of the pilgrims of Mama Mary, there were two occasions wherein she was disrespected.

First, her image was stolen then, thankfully, recovered in a tomb in the local Catholic cemetery.

Second, she was stripped off her Manto by so-called voyadores.

Did you know that her image is clothed by nuns in the privacy of a locked room? Priests or any man for that matter are not allowed while our Blessed Virgin Mary is being prepared prior to her appearance to her devotees. Fragrant perfume is also sprayed on her image as part of the finishing touches.

So, imagine the disappointment of the then Archbishop, +Leonardo Z. Legaspi upon seeing the naked image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. You could have probably heard a pin drop as he gave his sermon. Yes, he was angry and rightfully so.

Remember even Our Lord Jesus Christ was stripped off his garments. Now in hindsight we could say that Our Ina also participated in her son’s suffering. The embarrassment, humiliation, and degrading situation of being stark naked and grabbed by unruly men.

I am also a living testimony of a shared-similar-situation. One of the perpetrators smugly exclaimed to me, verbatim, what’s your evidence? I left without looking back and I just prayed for Divine Justice.

Now, their whole organization is slowly turning into salt. Two deaths of mistaken identities, one death as a pursuit of a checkpoint operation, two flexes of being armed and dangerous, and a few testing positive for illegal drugs.

My Ina was weeping in heaven. I talked to a mother who lost her son. I told her your son would want you to seek Justice for his death. He would very much like that to happen not for him, really, but more so specially for you. So that you would have peace. And, that he did not die in vain.

Pero cuando Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia está en ropa de color roja es un símbolo de amor purísima. Rojas son amores. ¿Rosas rojas 🌹 son flores de Día de Valentín, recuerdas?

May the light shined on me by the God of Light reflect His goodness and love ❤️. And may you be inspired by the Holy Spirit and God bless!