One of the things we can never doubt is a mother’s love for her children. A mother will always protect, nurture, and even give her very life for them. This reality becomes even more profound when we contemplate the Blessed Virgin Mary, our beloved Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia.
Some may ask: Did Mary truly love her Son, Jesus, when she did nothing to stop His crucifixion? Did she love sinful humanity more than her own Son? The answer is clear—No. Mary loved Jesus deeply, but she also knew that His mission could only be fulfilled through His death on the cross. Out of love, she consented to His suffering, not because she loved Him less, but because she loved Him more. She desired His ultimate victory over sin and death. In her silent surrender, she manifested both her love for her Son and her maternal love for all humanity. Ironically, her greatest joy was fulfilled through the sword that pierced her heart.
Every year, our devotion to Mary is displayed in overwhelming numbers. Thousands gather in the processions of the Traslación and Fluvial Parade, longing to see, touch, and honor her image. Yet devotion is not measured only in candles lit or in the strength of our voices during hymns and chants. It must be reflected in the way we live our daily lives.
This is where the challenge lies. How can we truly claim to love Mary and Jesus if we remain indifferent to the plight of our people? How can we continue to profess devotion while turning a blind eye to the open and shameless corruption of greedy politicians and officials who steal funds meant for the poor, the sick, and the most vulnerable? Worse, many among us even tolerate or defend these very same people who exploit us.
We cannot deny that in many ways, we add to our own suffering. By our silence, our compromises, and our unwillingness to stand for truth and justice, we permit the heartless to deepen our misery. We lament our poverty and hardships, yet we allow ourselves to be deceived by empty promises, quick favors, or the lure of convenience. In doing so, we wound ourselves, our families, and our future generations.
Loving Mary and Jesus, then, is not about carrying images or shouting “¡Viva la Virgen!” louder than the rest. It is about conversion of heart. It is about letting our faith shape the way we deal with money, politics, work, and relationships. It is about honesty when it is easier to cheat, compassion when indifference is more convenient, courage when fear tempts us to remain silent.
True devotion is measured not in grand processions but in ordinary acts of faithfulness. It is shown when a worker refuses a bribe, when a student chooses honesty in exams, when a public servant places the common good above self-interest, and when every Christian dares to speak against injustice even at a cost.
Mary allowed her heart to be pierced so that her Son’s mission might triumph. In the same way, we must allow ourselves to be pierced by truth, to be unsettled by conscience, and to be moved by love into action. Otherwise, our devotion remains shallow, our faith empty, and our society broken.
As we honor Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia, may our devotion lead us to renewal. Let us no longer be content with mere rituals, but rise to the greater challenge of living as faithful children of Mary and disciples of Jesus. Only then can our cry—¡Viva la Virgen!—become not just a cheer of celebration, but a genuine proclamation of transformed lives and a renewed nation.