Mission from the Sky

by Antonette Eduardo

The Bicolanos' devotion to Inâ, Our Lady of Peñafrancia, is more than just tradition – it is a shared mission, a call to action. Every September, the skies of Bicol are filled with prayers rising like incense and blessings descending like rain. But the Bicolanos and pilgrims from different places and walks of life who gather together do so to ask for Inâ's motherly intercession and become living missions of love, hope, and compassion.

This year's Traslacion Procession, where an estimated 800,000 pilgrims accompanied Inâ from the Old Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Peñafrancia to the Metropolitan Cathedral, once again marked the beginning of the nine-day Novena in her honor. It was also a moment for us to truly reflect on how we can be like Mary as missionaries.

Mary herself lived with a mission. When she said "yes" to God in carrying Jesus in her womb, she accepted her role as the first missionary. She not only became the mother of Jesus; she also brought Him to others, and she became mother to us all. Today, she continues that mission from the sky, from heaven, interceding for her children and pointing us always to her Son, the Divino Rostro (the Divine Face of Jesus).

Our deep devotion to Inâ challenges us not only to join processions, attend Novena Masses, or chant "Viva la Virgen!" but more importantly, to renew our mission. To be a devotee of Inâ is to take part in her mission: to listen, to serve, to heal, to love, to give voice to the oppressed, and to lead others to Christ.

Just as the sky gives us light, rain, and the air we breathe, so too must our faith and devotion overflow into action. It is a shared mission to heal divisions, strengthen hope, rekindle love, and be pilgrims of hope for all.