By Wilfredo Aguirre
On August 3, the Salvadoran community of our Diocese gathered at San Salvador Parish, Colton, for their annual patronal feast in honor of the Divine Savior of the World (Divino Salvador del Mundo), patron of El Salvador, celebrating the Transfiguration of the Lord. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Alberto Rojas, who called the faithful to reflect on the call to carry Christ’s light beyond the walls of the church.
In his homily, Bishop Rojas reflected on the Gospel account of Jesus’ Transfiguration, when Peter, James, and John witnessed His glory on Mount Tabor. Drawing on the teaching of Pope Saint John Paul II, Bishop Rojas described the Transfiguration as a “cry of light” that lifts us from discouragement and reminds us that suffering and death do not have the final word.
Bishop Rojas also invited the faithful to recognize their own “Good Fridays” as the struggles of life that we all experience, things such as illness, loss, unemployment, family divisions, and other hardships. However, he reminded everyone that we must recognize that God’s grace sustains us through these moments.
He continued by highlighting the fact that the disciples were not meant to remain on the mountain. The Mass and patronal feast may be moments of deep prayer, fraternity, and encounter with Christ in the Eucharist, but the faithful are called to come down from the mountain and bring that light into the world.
He continued to remind the community that bringing that light to the world means bringing peace to divided families, hope to those who are suffering, and Christian charity into our workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods. He drew on Pope Francis’ warning that a Church that lives only for itself can become sick and risk becoming like a museum, preserving what is beautiful from the past but failing to go out and encounter those who are wounded and in need. The Church, he reminded the faithful, is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners.
Bishop Rojas finished his homily by getting at the heart of the patronal feast. He stated that “the true fruit of the patronal feast” is found when we do not remain on the mountain but instead carry the light of Mount Tabor into our community, becoming witnesses of hope rather than darkness.
Wilfredo Aguirre is the Associate Director of the Diocesan Office of Advocacy and Hispanic Affairs.