"Reverence"

It took me years to write this blog because I was waiting for the right title to capture the heart of this final chapter.  This will be the third and last installment in the series on the life and work of the late Primate Ricardo M. Alcaraz, a story I have carried as a burden in my heart since the very beginning. 

Perhaps, some stories cannot be told all at once.  They need time, reflection and the right words to give them honor they deserve.  What began as a single account of his life and work gradually unfolded into three parts. The first was, "Who Do You Say I Am" and the second, "A Shepherd's Heart".  

Now, I find myself writing the final part, not simply to bring this series to a close but to preserve a legacy that deserves to be remembered. 

Since his passing on September 12, 2020, I have shared photographs on my Facebook account, accompanied by caption recalling his life and work, prophecies and the prayers he offered in unison.  

Some may have wondered why I continued to post about him, perhaps thinking that I had not yet moved on from his death but the truth is, remembering is not the same as refusing to move forward.  I keep on writing about him because I believe, must bear the responsibility of keeping his memory alive.  This is not merely for myself or for those who knew him during his lifetime but it is also for those who never had the opportunity to know him, hear his voice, or witness his life and ministry.   

In the end, this is more than a collection of memories.  It is my humble attempt to preserve a story, honor a life and pass on a legacy that time must not erase. 

November 19, 2025, Wednesday Fellowship. I heard the word “reverence”, not from the pulpit as I listened to Fr Noy’s teaching but when I gazed on the altar.  In that moment, I knew that “Reverence” was to be the title of this blog.

 

The Pulpit 

I remember that during election periods, some politicians would come to the church and ask permission to speak after the service.  However, the late Primate Ricardo M. Alcaraz would not grant their requests because for him, the pulpit was reserved for the proclamation of the Word of God and not for political speeches.  

Another thing I remember was his willingness to correct a teaching he had shared years earlier after conducting a more thorough study and having a deeper encounter with God.  He did not hesitate to acknowledge his mistake and he even apologized.  For him, the pursuit of truth mattered more than holding on to what he had previously taught.  His humility reminded me that spiritual leadership requires not only the courage to teach but also the willingness to admit when one is wrong.  

I also remember how he rebuked with love a priest who had become so fascinated with the kingdom of the self-proclaimed son of God that he spoke more about that person than about the Word of God.  The Bishop was deeply concerned by this, recognizing that such practice could in one way or another, profane the pulpit by diverting attention away from the very Word it was meant to proclaim.   

For the late Primate, the pulpit was sacred place and its purpose had to be upheld with conviction.  It was not a platform for promoting personalities or personal fascination but a place where the Word of God must remain at the center.  His actions reflected his deep reverence for the sacred responsibility entrusted to those who stand behind the pulpit.

 

Partaking of the Holy Eucharist 

If you ever see me not partaking the Eucharist despite being there in the mass, it simply means that I arrived late and failed to avail the confession and absolution.  I know that God’s grace and mercy is always available to us but I also believe that the preparation of the heart matters.  Receiving the Eucharist is not something that we do casually.  It is a sacred encounter that calls for reverence, repentance and a heart prepared to receive Him. (1 Corinthians 11:27) 

The Bishop often emphasized that when we gather for the Eucharist, we are meeting with God.  Therefore, we should not be late for His banquet.  If, for valid reasons, someone arrives late on occasion and it is not a habitual practice, the choice to partake of the Eucharist remains theirs.  The ministers would not prevent them from receiving it.  However, he reminded the people not to take God lightly.  

For him, the Eucharist was not merely bread and wine but it was the Body and Blood of Christ.  Therefore, receiving it called for profound reverence, sincere faith, and a heart prepared to encounter the Lord.  It was not something to be approached casually but a sacred mystery deserving our utmost respect. 

I remember one Sunday when he instructed the congregation not to sit down until the celebrant had come down and declared, “Let the feast begin”.  Yes, waiting could take some time as the clergy had to receive the Communion first, yet, for the Bishop, this was an expression of respect for the sacredness of the Eucharist.

 

The Last Homage 

One of the Bishop’s final instructions was, “Bury me beneath the altar”. 

I heard him say this many times during his last days.  He would even joke about it, so I did not take his words too seriously.  I wondered how the Church would make it possible.  I never imagined how those words would eventually become a reality.  

On August 13, 2023, the inurnment of the late Primate Ricardo M. Alcaraz was officiated by then, Patriarch Craig Bates.  Surrounded by his family, the clergy and the congregation, he was finally laid to rest beneath the altar.  

The words he had repeatedly so many times during his final days were fulfilled.  What I had once taken lightly, thinking he was merely joking, became a reality.  

The altar which he had always regarded with profound reverence became the place where he would rest.  The man who had devoted his life to serving God at the altar was, in the end, laid to rest beneath it.  

His final resting place became a lasting reminder of his deep reverence for the sacredness of the altar.