Today's readings highlight the duties and responsibilities of a priest and the challenges set before all of us.

During an Ordination as a Deacon, the bishop sitting on his chair as the candidate kneels before him hands the Book of the Gospel to the candidate, saying: "Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you now are, read it, believe what you read, preach what you believe, and PUT INTO PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH."

 And that is the CHALLENGE, to PUT INTO PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH. In all humility, I can say that this is easier said than done for some priests, deacons and bishops. Why? Because as humans prone to commit mistakes, with faults, failures, and shortcomings, we rely on God's grace.

Perhaps we can better understand the message of our Gospel today as we look at what our police force did during the recent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections. Modesty aside, our police force did and is doing what they preach — setting an example in the simplest way.

 Here in Metro Manila, it was "quiet and peaceful," and we could attribute this to the officers and men of the Philippine National Police, National Capital Region Police Office, under the able leadership of Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr.

 According to Lt. Col. Eunice S. Salas, the administrative officer and chief of the Regional Public Information Office, General Nartatez always saw to it that everything was in order and that there were enough police personnel to maintain peace and order, not only during the recent BSKE but also on All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day where people flocked to the cemeteries.

Per data from Major Hazel Asilo, PIO of the Southern Police District, 466,590 people visited cemeteries in Makati, Taguig, Pateros, Pasay, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas and Parañaque.

A total of 87,095 people visited six cemeteries in Quezon City, according to Major Gannaban of the QCPD PIO.

Gen. Redrico Maranan deployed 3,864 QCPD personnel — 158 police officers to the six cemeteries, 119 to the 27 columbaria, 52 to the bus stations, 54 to the MRT and LRT stations, 232 to places of convergence, 182 along major thoroughfares, and 1,067 for anti-criminality operations to ensure that Quezon City would be quiet and peaceful.