'Be a humble light in the Lord'

Read the message of guest speaker His Eminence Luis Antonio G Cardinal Tagle to the Ateneo de Manila University college and graduate school class of 2024, as delivered during the 2024 University Commencement on Friday, 21 June 2024. Tagle was also conferred the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, honoris causa, during the ceremony.

Magandang araw po sa inyong lahat.

Nababakas sa mukha at kilos ng ating magsisipagtapos ang kagandahan ng araw na ito. Nararamdaman ko dito sa entablado ang maluwag na paghinga ng kanilang mga magulang at mag-anak. Tila sinasambit nila sa bawa’t hininga, “Sa wakas, nakatapos din sila!” Labis-labis din ang kasiyahan ng mga guro, kamanggagawa at tagapamahala ng universidad. Sinasabi ng kanilang ngiti, “Sa wakas, aalis na sila.”

Kung ako naman ang tatanungin, nagagalak po ako dahil nakabalik ako sa Ateneo de Manila, o pinabalik ako dito ng Pangulo, Fr Bobby Yap SJ at ng Board of Trustees. Kapag hindi ako sumunod sa kanila baka ipatawag ako ng Principal, si Pope Francis. Kaya inunahan ko na sina Fr Bobby. Nagpaalam ako kay Pope Francis. Pinayagan niya ako na tanggapin ang regalong pinagkakaloob ng Ateneo de Manila subalit hindi para sa sarili ko kundi sa pangalan ng aking mga magulang at kapatid, sa pangalan ng Simbahan at ng mga taong naghahanap ng ganap na buhay sa iba’t-ibang panig ng mundo. Tinatanggap ko rin ito sa ngalan ng nagsisipagtapos sa 2024.

Bigla ko tuloy naalala ang pagtatapos namin sa kolehiyo sa lugar ding ito noong 1977. Ika-100 anibersaryo noon ng pagtatapos ni Dr Jose Rizal sa Ateneo Municipal de Manila. Dapat si Fr Horacio de la Costa, SJ ang graduation speaker subali’t namatay siya dahil sa cancer bago ang aming pagtatapos. Si Ambassador Léon Maria Guerrero ang humalili kay Fr De la Costa. Maganda at nakapanginginig ang kanyang talumpati, pero aaminin ko sa inyo, hindi ko na natatandaan ang sinabi niya sa amin. Kaya hindi ko rin inaasahang maaalala ninyo ang sasabihin ko.

“Magpakatotoo: Magpakatao at Makipagkapwa-tao.” Ito ang tema ng ating pagdiriwang. Ito rin ang habilin ng Ateneo sa nagsisipagtapos ngayong magsisimula kayo ng bagong yugto ng buhay bilang Atenista. Ito ang inyong isasabuhay bilang Atenista sa labas ng Ateneo. Malimit kong naririnig: “nagpapakatotoo ako, ayaw kong maging plastic.” Ang magaspang na ugali, ang bulgar na salita, ang pagiging barumbado ay dinedepensa sa pagsasabing, “nagpapakatotoo lang ako. Hindi ako plastic”. Ganyan ba maging totoo? - magaspang, bulgar at barumbabado? Minsan naman naririnig ko, “ang ganda ng bulaklak na ito. Uy plastic pala. Akala ko totoo.” Nagiging maganda ang plastic kung mukhang totoo. Ano ba ang totoo? Ano ba ang plastic? Ituloy po ninyo ang paghahanap. Pero ang tinutukoy ng ating tema ay pagiging totoong tao at totoong kapwa tao. At bilang mga Atenista, ang isang daan sa pagiging totoong tao at kapwa tao ay nasa motto ng Ateneo de Manila: Lux in Domino (Liwanag sa Panginoon, Light in the Lord). 

The expression “light in the Lord” comes from St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Líve as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:8). We are not called to be light by ourselves but to be light in the Lord. Jesus says in the Gospel of St John, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12). For Christians to become light, we must be inserted or immersed in the true light who is Jesus. Those who declare independence from Jesus will spread inauthentic light. 

Light is a good image to describe an authentic person and an authentic servant (totoong tao at totoong lingkod ng kapwa-tao). Light helps us see objects, people, directions and the created world. While serving our eyes that they may see clearly, light also serves things and persons so that they can be seen. Light does its service well by remaining in the background. We notice light only when it is deficient or when it is excessive. In both cases light fails in its service because we do not see anything. Light should lead us to others, never to itself. We appreciate what we see due to the light, but we seldom thank the light.

Jesus says in the Gospel of St Matthew: “No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:15-16). Our light must lead other people to see goodness and to give glory to God. This is the root of a revered Jesuit dictum, “ad majorem Dei gloriam”, to seek the greater glory of God and to act for the greater glory of God. Jesus who is the Light shows us the way. He fulfilled His mission in order to glorify God and to lead us back to God and to each other.

There is much darkness in our world due to inauthentic lights (mga huwad na liwanag). Some people do not want to share their light to others, to the Church and to society. They keep it hidden due to selfishness, indifference or laziness. This is individualism, a waste of valuable light and energy. Then darkness spreads. There are also many people who seek their own glory; they seek adulation, likes and followers. They do not retreat to the background. Just look around our towns and cities. Every lamppost must have the name of the donor. Every bench must memorialize a benefactor’s family. Every playground must bear the name of the official who constructed it. Every spotlight must be focused on them. They end up serving themselves more than others. In fact they could be manipulating people and situations to serve their fame and power. That is how darkness spreads. It should not be so among you, dear graduates and Ateneans. Remember your mission is to be light so people may see the glory of God. 

I conclude my reflection with another meaning of the word light. As an adjective, light means not heavy or having little weight. It is used to refer to someone or something considered of little importance. The agents of dehumanizing poverty and injustice have willfully ignored the inherent dignity and worth of people, thereby creating a group of heavyweights distant from the cluster of the lightweights. But the truth is that all of us are “heavyweight” because we are all created in God’s image and likeness. All of us are “lightweight” because we are creatures and also sinners. By accepting that we are truly light, we become truly heavy or weighty.  

The world becomes dark because of people who refuse to accept any weakness or limitation. To feed their illusion of grandeur, they fill themselves with ambition, pride, greed, wealth. They pretend to be heavyweights and often end up being a heavy burden to society. Sa pagtalikod sa totoong pagkatao nila, tinatalikuran din nila ang kapwa-tao. Sila yung mga bigatin daw na nagiging pabigat sa buhay ng iba.

Dear graduates, the test of your Ateneo excellence and wisdom is when you carry yourself and your expertise with lightness of heart and with a humble spirit. Kapag hindi naiintindihan ng ibang tao ang inyong sinasabi, huwag ninyong isipin, “heavyweight talaga ang edukasyon ko. Hindi ako maabot ng mga kawawang lightweight. I cannot blame them if they cannot grasp my profound insights.” This is not being authentically light. Look to Jesus who emptied himself of glory, but was given by the Father the name above every other name (Philippians 2). Imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary who called herself God’s lowly servant, marveling at the great things God had done for her. Inscribe in your heart  the prayer of St Ignatius of Loyola, “mula sa Iyo ang lahat ng ito, muli kong handog sa Iyo; ipagkaloob Mo lamang ang pag-ibig Mo at lahat tatalikdan ko.”

St Aloysius Gonzaga SJ whose feast we celebrate today, renounced his wealth and rights as a nobleman, joined the Society of Jesus, and died on June 21, 1591 at the age of 23 while taking care of the victims of the plague in Rome. Like them, let us be little and light in order to magnify God. Then our light will shine so others may glorify the Lord. A guiding light is always gentle and light.

To every graduate of Ateneo de Manila University for 2024, I say, “Be a humble light in the Lord, lux humilis in Domino.” Iyan ang totoong Atenista.