Despite the scorching heat on April 13, 2019, the Idente Volunteers-Philippines were determined to bring the tender love of our Heavenly Father to a home for the elderly in Quezon City. They presented the Resurrection play with a hope that our brothers and sisters in that institution would be able to perceive the presence of Christ in their lives.
One of the most beautiful moments of this outreach program was when the Idente Volunteers dialogued with the elderly. This act was in line with what Pope Francis said in the Jubilee Year of Mercy that “we should not identify almsgiving by just simply tossing a coin but what is important is the gesture, to help those who ask, looking at them, touching their hands, stopping to talk in order to understand what they need”.
The Idente Volunteers reached out by sharing their love, dreams and prayers with the elderly. One of the volunteers said that aside from telling them that we will pray for them, we should also ask them to pray for us because we all know how close our Heavenly Father is to them. Jonathan who portrayed Christ in the play said: “I felt Christ was wanting me to notice Him again…I felt like crying during the play.”
Indeed, each of them received joy. We are certain that they received what our Heavenly Father wants for them—that they live each day with greater hope and that whenever they received Christ through the Eucharist, they would experience the same feeling our founding Father, Fernando Rielo felt when he received his first communion, when Christ told him: “You shall ascend with Me.” They left the place with a big smile on their faces, carrying in their hearts the greatest love story that they portrayed: when Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist.
