Staff Reporter
Margao
Episcopal Vicar of the South Zone, Fr Kenneth Teles, urged Cuncolkars to “stop, think, reflect, and meditate in the light of God” during the celebration of the Our Lady of Health Church feast on Sunday. The feast, observed on February 2, coincided with the Presentation of Jesus, an important event in the Church calendar. Combining both celebrations, devotees were encouraged to follow the example of Mother Mary. The theme for the feast was: “Walking in the footsteps of Mother Mary, we are the pilgrims of hope.”
In his sermon, Fr Teles spoke on the importance of drawing inspiration from Mother Mary’s life. He explained that while everyone is on their own personal journey through life, Mother Mary should serve as a guide and inspiration. “She undertook many journeys in her life. Today, we are all so busy from the moment we wake up until we go to sleep. This Jubilee Year invites us to stop, think, reflect, ponder, and meditate on what we are doing. Do your work, but take time to do these five things and transform your way of life to live in the light of the Lord,” he said.
Before the Mass, candles were blessed and distributed to the faithful, in keeping with tradition. Reflecting on this ritual, Fr Teles said, “This is also a feast of light, which is why we bless the candles before entering the church. This light symbolizes the removal of the world’s darkness and shadows. God sent Jesus to dispel this darkness and bring us into the light.”
Hundreds of devotees gathered to mark the feast, which ended with a procession with the statue of Our Lady of Health, as prayers and hymns were sung by the faithful.
