Heed bishop’s call: Step down

During the Misa Mayor for the Feast of Jesus Nazareno 2026, held near midnight on Thursday, a crowd of thousands of devotees was roused from their near-sleep by Balanga Bishop Rufino Sescon Jr.

Sescon devoted his sermon in the key celebration preceding the Traslacion, the annual procession of the image of Jesus Nazareno through Manila’s streets, to asking an unnamed person to learn to give way and step down.

Sescon had served as rector of the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno, or Quiapo Church, from 2022 to 2024.

The bishop, in full conviction, said that giving way “is not the result of defeat, weakness, or loss of power. It is a free decision of love.”

He then quoted a passage in the Gospel: “So great was the Father’s love that He gave His Son. It is a decision of love, a voluntary lowering of oneself.”

“Although He was God, He stripped Himself of everything for our sake.”

Mere mortals cling to power despite knowing that their being stubborn is hurling the country downhill.

“Let us learn from Jesus Nazareno to step down willingly for the sake of love. In our country today, some refuse to step down even after being exposed. They refuse to step down even when it is already a burden to the nation.”

The hint Sescon gave about whom he was referring to is related to recent events.

“They refuse to step down even when the poor are already suffering. They refuse to step down even when the nation is already being flooded and destroyed. They refuse to step down even when they are no longer worthy,” he admonished.

Sescon echoed the call of Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias, who took part in the Mass, who said last November: “Stop, enough, have mercy on the people. Have some shame. Step down willingly. For the sake of mercy and love. Amen. Let us learn to act willingly.”

Sescon also gave a cryptic message: “Let us not race merely in the procession but in the mission. Let us not compete in showing strength but in service. Let us race to step down, because Christ has already stepped down willingly ahead of us.”

The Church has, thus far, not been visibly active in the protest movement and Sescon’s sermon can be considered a turning point.

“Not every stepping down is a humiliation. There are times when not stepping down is the real humiliation. If Christ, who is without sin, stepped down willingly, may we also learn to step down willingly out of love,” he emphasized.

The bishop said that giving way for “love for God, for the nation, for others, and even for oneself” is in accordance with the Catholic faith.

“Step down willingly because one repents and forgives. Step down willingly because one yields to what is more right and better. Step down willingly for true unity and solidarity,” he urged the unspoken name.

Citing “true unity” was another giveaway about to whom Sescon was addressing his sermon during the late hours of the night.

He stressed to the cheers of the Nazareno devotees, “Let us now act willingly like Jesus Nazareno. Tell the person beside you, brother or sister, what are you still waiting for? Act willingly now. Let us ask the Lord Nazareno that we may willingly love as He loves. Let us applaud out of love for the Lord Nazareno.”

The lesson from Jesus Nazareno: He humbled Himself completely so that we might learn to listen, not to power, but to love, a virtue wanting in this corruption-ridden administration.