THE LAST VISITA IGLESIA

MY FAMILY shared only one Visita Iglesia—a Holy Week tradition that literally translates to "church visit". It was our very first time participating together, and it would ultimately be the last one we would ever have as a complete family. Before this, I had never taken part in this Catholic tradition of visiting multiple churches during the Lenten season.

It was Holy Thursday of 2010. I distinctly remember my wife’s palpable excitement. She had rarely participated in this religious event since her younger years, even though she had longed to do it every single year. Now, she was overjoyed that she was finally doing it alongside her own family.

The timing seemed perfect for us. A year earlier, we had enjoyed a wonderful vacation in Ilocos Sur for the Lenten break. We had so much fun attending family reunions, swimming, and picnicking at the beach. We had even traveled as far north as Bangui to see the giant windmills, and Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte. Because of those fond memories, when my wife suggested this religious activity to our children, she didn't need to use any convincing charm. My kids were genuinely curious to see how this summer ritual was carried out.

My wife explained to them the spiritual significance of this "journey"—a pilgrimage marked by prayer, sharing, quiet reflection, and fasting, which traditionally takes place on Holy Thursday. The custom involves visiting seven different churches, praying at two Stations of the Cross per visit (though some observers choose to visit fourteen churches instead). My wife deeply hoped that this inaugural Visita Iglesia would provide a beautiful opportunity for our family to quietly enjoy a mini-tour while simultaneously fulfilling a sacred religious duty. She even suggested making it an annual family tradition.

Looking back, I know my wife desired this pilgrimage so intensely because of her health. She was battling stage 2 breast cancer, a diagnosis she chose to hide from our children and her friends. She chose silence because she believed with endless hope and profound faith that the Lord would heal her. She felt a deep, spiritual calling to visit various miraculous churches to pray for her recovery, and she wanted her family standing by her side, praying with her.

I took charge of planning the route. Days before Holy Thursday, I busied myself searching the internet for the seven churches we would visit (as this was my first time, I had to start from scratch). I carefully calculated the distances between the parishes and the travel times required to move from one to the next, even consulting a few friends for advice. Our son, Dudoy, was particularly excited to see the historical, Spanish-era churches included in our itinerary. I promised him and his siblings that I would provide some historical and cultural background at each stop.

Initially, we planned to hire a van. Another family had agreed to join us and split the rental cost, but the driver we approached days in advance was unavailable on Holy Thursday. In the end, it was just our family that set out that morning.

Because my wife had lived with her family in one of the neighborhoods around Old Manila, our destination was comforting and familiar to her. It was a typical, scorching summer day. Before leaving Bulacan, we made sure we were armed with comfortable clothes, sunglasses, umbrellas, hats, plenty of drinking water, and hand towels.

1st Stop: Binondo Church

This church stands majestically in the heart of Manila’s Chinatown within the Binondo District. Formally named the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz, it honors the first Filipino saint, who lived and grew up in this neighborhood. I frequently pass by this structure whenever I head to Divisoria to hunt for affordable goods or to visit relatives in Tondo, but this was my first time ever stepping inside its doors.

2nd Stop: Manila Cathedral

The Cathedral, or the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, is located inside the historic walled city of Intramuros. Serving as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila, its imposing facade and massive dome are clearly visible even from a distance. It offers a grandiose, timeless view to anyone standing outside.

3rd Stop: San Agustin Church

San Agustin Church (Immaculate Conception Parish) is one of the oldest stone churches still standing in the Philippines. Situated just a short walking distance from the Cathedral, this magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Site feels alive with centuries of history.

  

4th Stop: St. Jude Archdiocesan Shrine

This church is dedicated to Saint Jude Thaddeus. As a cousin and apostle of Jesus Christ, Saint Jude is widely revered as the patron saint of desperate cases and hopeless causes. Consequently, a large number of devotees flock to the shrine every Thursday—especially students seeking spiritual strength before final exams or crucial professional board examinations.

5th Stop: San Miguel Church

This is the National Shrine of St. Michael and the Archangels. It was our first time visiting, and the kids were thrilled by the realization that they were walking through the historic grounds of Malacañang. Inside, the altar features a striking depiction of the crucifixion, flanked by individual statues of the seven archangels mounted on separate pillars. There is also a massive, 12-foot bronze statue of St. Michael triumphantly slaying a serpent, the symbol of Lucifer.

6th Stop: San Sebastian Church

Though my wife was born and raised in Malate, Manila, it was strangely ironic that she had never stepped inside the Basilica Minore de San Sebastian before this day. She and the children were completely captivated by this historic church, which is world-renowned for its unique, all-steel architectural design and structure. The soaring ceiling inside was the highest I had ever seen in my life.   

7th Stop: Quiapo Church

The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church) was our natural final stop due to its close proximity to San Sebastian. It was a church I passed daily on my commute to school, work, or home, yet I had only ever attended Mass there once or twice with my wife during the early years of our marriage. To me, the church and its surrounding streets always felt overwhelmingly crowded, operating as a bustling center of commerce for everyday city folks.

Of the seven churches we visited, this final stop proved to be the most challenging to complete. The square was packed with a vast multitude of people also performing their Visita. By the time we made it through, my wife and the children were thoroughly exhausted and hungry.

THE FOLLOWING year, in April 2011, we were unable to go on our planned Visita Iglesia due to my wife's rapidly worsening condition. In the months that followed, we managed instead to make a smaller pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Divine Mercy in our local area of Marilao, Bulacan.

That would be the final church we ever visited together. Our trip there in July of that same year was our very last outing as one complete family. Later that month, we rushed her to the hospital due to sudden complications from her illness, and she passed away two weeks later.

LEARN MORE ABOUT JOB

AMONG the characters in the Old Testament, I am most fascinated by the story of Job. I haven’t read the whole text in the bible, but thanks to some abridged and comic book stories (I had plenty of them when I was a child), magazine articles and lately, websites, I came to know this guy whose name is synonymous to utmost patience, and his endless series of unfortunate events.

Job can be summed up this way: Satan tells God that Job, his most upright servant, only loves the Lord because he has given him so much wealth. God wagers Satan that Job will remain faithful even in the face of unending series of misfortunes. He tells Satan to do his worst to Job but not to harm him fatally. So Satan inflict Job with the worst beating you could imagine on a man—he loses his entire estate and his children, he suffers very severely with sore boils, and his friends shun him. But Job withstands the onslaughts. In the end, because he endures and never wavers in his faith in the Lord, his wealth, health and even his family are all restored by God.

But while not reading the prose and poetry about Job in the bible, I was befuddled by some issues: Why He lets Satan afflict Job? Or are our troubles really the idea of Satan and that God only concurs with them? Up to what extent God allows us humans to suffer so as to test us?

It was only when I read the book Understanding Job by Lim Kou, that I was enlightened about the meaning of the book of Job. The book was given free by those Christians from M/V Doulos, the floating bookstore which was docked in the port of Manila last December. Because it was free, and sectarian, I can only surmise its preachy contents so I wasn’t tempted to sit down and read it at once. I only retrieved it from my bookshelf, just after I have cited the story of Job in one of my earlier blogs.

True to its title, I was able to understand Job, and my queries were answered, with these insights from the author:

• God allowed Satan put Job to the test because He knew that there was substance in Job’s life; there were genuine, good qualities within him. So God knew too well He had a winner in Job.
• God has dual aims in allowing Satan to test Job: First, it was because of His love for Job and concern for his ultimate well-being. Second, it was related to the establishment of His eternal kingdom.
• Job faltered to some degree during the trials in spite of his moral and spiritual stature. Our hero claimed that God had wronged him and that is tantamount to saying that God is unjust. Such misconception, misunderstanding and an idea affected his confidence in God.
• God in His speeches didn’t directly answer Job’s perplexing questions. How God responded to Job’s situation was very appropriate, meaningful and effective in the context. Like Job, we must learn to trust God fully and without wavering while going through difficult and perplexing situations in life.
• God was satisfied with Job, and with how he went through the ordeal. Job basically remained true to God. Though he faltered, he still loved the Lord and sought to honor God and to abide by His words. With that, Satan was greatly displeased, and he lost the wager.

Let us learn from the story of Job, not so much on God and Satan “conspiracy” but on how Job endures in the midst of misfortunes. This lesson is very useful for someone going through suffering or distress when his or her understanding can easily get twisted.

What most of us have suffered in life is generally far less severe compared to what Job went through. With the Book of Job, and with pastors and theologians who have painstakingly explained its meaning to us, we now have a much fuller revelation and understanding of who God is, the realities in the spiritual realm and how we should live with our lives to the fullest. So it is expected that we are now in a better position to respond well.

One downside of the book though is that it bears the imprints of a pastor who has a whole day to belabor his point. A more rigorous editing could have eliminated some of the repetitions.

But don't let this discourage you to read the book and understand more about Job and learn the proper postures to take amidst life’s trials and tribulations.

A NOTE ON PRAYER

GOD answers prayers. I know this, and I believe it. Yet, there have been times in my life when it felt as though He simply did not respond to my deepest requests. Even when I do believe He has answered a prayer, I sometimes find myself wondering if it was truly what I asked for, especially when that very answer turns out to be painful down the road.

That is exactly how I felt when I was dismissed from a premier law school due to a grade deficiency. I found myself questioning everything: If qualifying for the college of law was an answered prayer meant to give me a better career, a greater chance to help others, and a brighter future for my family, why did He allow me to fail? Why did God take back the opportunity He had so graciously given me?

It would be easy to conclude that what went wrong was entirely my fault—that I didn’t study hard enough, that law school wasn't my strong suit, or that I simply didn't want it badly enough. But for every academic struggle I faced, I consistently sought God’s help and guidance. During the tense deliberation of my case by the appeals committee, I prayed fervently. I even made a covenant with God, promising to dedicate myself to serving His church—a familiar bargain I often strike when backed into a dead corner.

But I lost. The committee refused to give me a second chance. I became the chaff—the one who fell short of the standard of excellence—separated from the grains of deserving scholars. In the wake of that loss, I began to deeply ponder how prayer truly works, and how it can strengthen our relationship with God regardless of whether we receive the answers we expect.

It is easy to bitterly conclude that God simply did not hear my prayers. But that would be unfair to Him. In reality, I was the one being unfair. I was treating Him like a tool, praying to the effect of: "Lord, You gave me this chance, so You should be here for me. I need You, so please make this happen." What if I had uttered instead: "Lord, here I am. Do whatever You want me to do. Thy will be done." Would that surrender have made a profound difference?

Winners and Losers

This struggle with unmet expectations isn’t unique to my academic life; I see this same transactional view of prayer everywhere, even when I turn on the television to watch a basketball game.

Every time I watch a game, I notice that players making the sign of the cross—either before a play or after a successful shot—are as common as the referee whistles blowing for on-court violations. Athletes from opposing teams all pray to the very same God. When one side begs, "Lord, help us win this game," and their opponents pray for the exact same outcome, to whom does God listen? When a team triumphs, the victors raise their arms in hallelujahs to the Lord, while the losers are left to contemplate why they were denied divine intervention.

Our world is highly polarized into winners and losers across every field and walk of life. Yet, no one can truly declare whether a person has won or lost it all in the grand scheme of things. Looking back, whenever I failed in an undertaking, when self-reliance finally ran out, or missed a golden opportunity, my immediate reaction was to think my prayers had gone unheard. Perhaps I lacked a deeper, more mature relationship with God. In those moments, I felt I had no choice but to wait for another round, and then another. I have never considered myself overly religious, but through it all, I have never stopped praying.

Lessons from Job

I do not believe that the misfortunes we endure are forms of punishment from an all-powerful, benevolent God. Nor do I subscribe to a purely clinical worldview where suffering is merely a direct, mechanical reaction to our own mistakes. In the Bible, Job was not being punished when he lost his children and all his material possessions. Job was a righteous man, deeply faithful to God. His story confirms that the tragedies, hardships, and suffering of this world are often far beyond our human understanding. God loved Job, yet He allowed him to be tested.

God is under no obligation to say "yes" to our every prayer—which is honestly a blessing, considering some of the short-sighted things we ask for. Sometimes, He is testing us. Other times, possessed of a far greater wisdom and foresight than we could ever comprehend, He says "no" to our most profound requests.

But a "no" does not mean we stop seeking Him. If time passes and we still cannot see the fruit of our prayers, we are allowed to ask God why. We can persist in our questioning if we do not understand or agree with His answer. If we persist, God will meet us in our grief, giving us a peace and understanding that surpasses the need for logical answers

This understanding is only possible through constant, unceasing prayer. When light finally breaks, we will realize that God did hear us all along, and that He has done far more for us than we ever could have thought to ask. Had I realized this truth earlier, I would not have spent so much time griping during those trying chapters of my life.