06/08/2026
Apostleship of the Sea
Jer 31:1-7 / Jer 31:10. 11-12. 13 / Mt 15:21-28
5 August 2026
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today we thank God for the 20th anniversary of the Apostleship of the Sea -Stella Maris Seafarers Center in Ermita. For twenty years, this ministry has quietly accompanied seafarers, fishers, and their families. Many of our seafarers spend months away from home. Some miss birthdays, anniversaries, even the birth of a child or the passing of a loved one. Yet through this ministry, the Church reminds seafarers of one simple truth: they are never forgotten.
The Gospel today gives us the beautiful story of the Canaanite woman. She comes to Jesus with a heavy heart, begging Him to heal her daughter. At first, Jesus seems to ignore her. Then His words seem to push her away. Most people would have walked away. But she stayed. She trusted. She kept asking. And Jesus finally says, "Woman, great is your faith."
There are three things I hope we can take home today.
First, don't mistake God's silence for His absence. Every seafarer knows what it is like to look out at an endless horizon. Sometimes all you see is water and sky. In life, there are moments when God also seems silent. But silence does not mean He has left us.
Minsan ang pakiramdam natin, tahimik ang Diyos. Pero hindi porke't tahimik Siya ay wala na Siya. Ang Diyos ay hindi nawawala. Baka tayo lang ang hinihikayat Niyang magtiwala nang mas malalim.
Second, keep praying, especially when life is difficult. The Canaanite woman did not receive an immediate answer, but she never gave up. Many of you know what perseverance looks like. You endure rough seas, long contracts, loneliness, and uncertainty. Your work has taught you that reaching the destination requires staying the course.
Mga kapatid, huwag bibitaw sa dasal. Huwag bibitaw sa Diyos. Ang alon ay lumilipas. Ang bagyo ay humuhupa. Pero ang Diyos ay nananatiling tapat.
Third, remember that you are never sailing alone. That is what the Apostleship of the Sea has been doing for the last twenty years. It is the Church meeting you in ports, celebrating Mass with you, listening to your stories, and reminding you that Christ is on every voyage with you. Even when you are far from home, you are never far from God.
Kapag kayo ay nasa gitna ng dagat, tandaan ninyo: may mga taong nagdarasal para sa inyo. Higit sa lahat, kasama ninyo si Kristo. Hindi man ninyo nakikita, Siya ang Kapitan na hindi natutulog at hindi kailanman iniiwan ang Kanyang mga kasama.
